As assembly elections in Assam approach, the BJP-led state government is making strategic moves to appease six tribal – or Scheduled Tribe (ST) – communities by creating new a special reserved category for them called 'ST (Valley)'.

But, this has put the ruling party in an awkward spot between competing tribal electorates, as existing ST communities fear the loss of their own privileges to the new entrants.

Manoranjan Pegu, a researcher and writer from Assam, helps us make sense of these emerging new complexities in the Northeast Indian state.

Read Manoranjan's latest pieces on the issue here:

1. The new ST classification in Assam is political eyewash (1/1/2026): https://caravanmagazine.in/communities/st-classification-assam-2025

2. A festival, Death of 4 young people and Incessant WhatsApp discourses (31/1/2026): https://murkongselek.substack.com/p/a-festival-death-of-4-young-people

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