That's the macro-view. The reality, of course, is infinitely more complex. Caste remains the staple in Bihar, but this time around the supplements are numerous. Led by Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav, the Janata Dal and its allies , which won 46 of the 52 seats contested in 1991, know that caste equations favour them. But, in a sporadic and localised phenomenon, the Congress seems to have stirred itself belatedly into combat mode. This may not translate into more seats than it got last time, but the Dal is likely to suffer as a consequence.