This actually sounds pretty similar to what is happening elsewhere. Basically, the lower caste Indians all conceive of themselves as a single group with their own interests and values, whereas the higher caste ones either adopt those same lower caste values, ideas and politics, or form a loose, disorganised and ineffective opposition to them?

More or less. The western media makes the Indian government sound more based than it is.

If these people can form an organised minority, they may have the opportunity to choose from a variety of political strategies.

This happens to an extent already and upper castes have secured favorable climates in states like Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh but it's hard to do anything beyond securing limited areas.