Patna, April 30 (Reporter) The leaders and the political parties from across the political spectrum welcomed the decision of the centre for including a caste survey in the main census. Following the announcement, the leaders cutting across party lines in the poll bound Bihar, where assembly elections are due in October-November this year praised the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census. The leaders of the ruling NDA hailed the decision whereas Rashtriya Janta Dal ( RJD) Lalu Prasad Yadav said that those branding him a casteist got a befitting reply. Commenting upon the centre's decision regarding the caste survey, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in a post on social media X wrote that the it was his old demand and it was a matter of great happiness that the centre has decided for the same. He further mentioned that it will facilitate the formulation of plans for upliftment and development of different sections whose population would be determined by the caste census. Congratulating Modi for the decision, Kumar said that it will accelerate the country’s development. Reacting to the decision, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav acrimoniously argued that those called him a casteist whenever he demanded for a caste census have got a befitting reply. On social media X he termed it as a major victory of RJD saying that "there is still a lot left and will keep making these 'Sanghis' dance to our agenda." Yadav further said that when he was the national president of Janata Dal, the United Front government at the centre had taken a decision in 1996-97 to conduct a caste census in the 2001 census, but the NDA government led by Vajpayee did not implement it. Yadav said he along with socialist leaders including late Mulayam Singh Yadav, late Sharad Yadav and several others had strongly raised the demand in Parliament and had stalled the Parliament for several days following which the then Prime Minister late Manmohan Singh assured to conduct a socio-economic survey. Yadav said what the socialists think 30 years ago about the issues like reservation, caste census, equality, fraternity, secularism and others were followed by others decades later. Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and the leader of opposition in the state assembly Tejaswi Prasad Yadav, though welcomed the centre's decision but said that the socialist leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav had been demanding for the caste census for 30 years. Branding it as RJD's victory , Yadav said that all the parties from Bihar had earlier met the PM on the issue but he denied the demand made by the parties. Before the strength of the opposition parties the NDA government bowed down and worked on the agenda, he claimed. The caste census must be done before delimitation, demanded Yadav. Hailing the PM for the decision, Union Minister Nityanand Rai said that the NDA government was committed to the all-around development of the country and society. He said 10% reservation was provided to the poor sections of the society. The Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party ( LJP ) chief Chirag Paswan, welcoming the decision said it was in the national interest. Expressing his heartfelt gratitude to the PM, Paswan said that several misconceptions and rumours were spread about him on the issue which were cleared with the centre's decision which will bring a major change in the direction of inclusive development of the country. He said that it will help in making policies more targeted and will pave the way for empowerment of every section. Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary on social media X thanked and congratulated the PM for the decision to include the caste census in the national census which he said would prove to be a milestone in framing and in execution of the policies for development of every caste. JDU State president Umesh Singh Kushwaha said that the decision would have a long lasting impact on the Social Justice He said that the double engine government of NDA was committed to bring the oppressed sections and backwards in the main stream of the society in which the caste census would play an important and decisive role. Kushwaha accusing the RJD for politicising the issue alleged that the RJD was in power for 15 years in the state and the Congress ruled for a long period at the centre but they never considered it as an important issue and was now trying to get the credit of it. The JDU spokes person Rajiv Ranjan welcomed the decision and thanked the NDA government for deciding to conduct the caste census. He said that by conducting caste surveys in Bihar, the NDA government of the state had set an example for the entire country. He said that the caste census conducted keeping in mind the changing society and socio economic conditions, it would help in framing the policies. He said that it would be a new step towards execution of the policies and congratulated NDA government for taking such an important decision in the leadership of the Prime Minister The Rashtriy Lok Morcha president Upendra Kushwaha termed the decision as historical one said that his party during its recent three days political Marathon held at Valmikinagar had unanimously adopted for caste census. He said the decision taken by the Prime Minister for conducting the caste census would help in further development of every section of the society. Hindustani Aawam Morcha national president and Bihar minor water resources minister Santosh Suman said that the decision of Modi government for conducting cast census was a major political jolt on the opposition. He said the caste census to be conducted after 94 years along with the main census would prove to be beneficiary for the tribals, backwards and extremely backwards...////...