India, Nov. 4 -- Political strategist Prashant Kishor has once again drawn national attention. In a remarkably short time, he has managed to reshape Bihar's political conversation and capture public imagination. Some now ask whether this is Bihar's "Kejriwal moment"- the stirrings of a new, assertive middle-class looking for an alternative politics.

Yet Bihar's politics resists quick conclusions. Beneath the excitement on the surface lies a dense web of caste loyalties, regional identities, class inequalities, and historical continuities. What appears to be a wave may actually be a symptom of deeper social unrest. Understanding it requires patience and perspective, not hasty predictions.

Bihar remains a classic case of what scholars cal...