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Royal Dynasties, Political Representation and Positive Discrimination: A Comparison of Two Constituencies in Northwestern Odisha

The article based on longterm anthropological fieldwork in the area does not only look at Bamra as a rather successful dynasty in Odishan politics but compares it with a neighbouring former princely state of Bonai. While the former is now a general seat, the latter is a reserved constituency for Scheduled Tribes (STs) effectively depriving the royal family of its passive voting rights. It is argued that positive discrimination significantly shaped their electoral fortunes. It led in one case to a dynasty of princely politicians, though they are increasingly competing with rising Other Backward Classes (OBCs) forming their own, though still relatively shallow dynasties. However, a few kilometers away, arguably through the shifting support of former royals in Bonai for several MLAs, no other, potentially competing political dynasty has emerged, while relatively lower STs are also claiming political representation in a competitive field, in which royal influence is still relevant.