Editorial: Bihar’s verdict
The return of Nitish Kumar, beating the anti-incumbency factor, has established his unmatched dominance in State politics
It’s a virtual tsuNI-MO (Nitish-Modi) sweeping Bihar. The landslide victory for the NDA marks a perfect marriage between social engineering and welfarism. The return of Nitish Kumar as the Chief Minister for a fifth consecutive term —beating the anti-incumbency factor — has established his unmatched dominance in State politics. His success lies in a rare blend of social coalition — uniting Extremely Backward Castes (EBCs), Mahadalits, and non-Yadav OBCs — and deep goodwill among women voters. The people of Bihar have given a resounding mandate for continuity in development, good governance, welfare schemes, and stability. The poll-eve freebie — a monthly allowance of Rs 10,000 to women — could have tilted the scale. The NDA, comprising the JD(U), BJP and Lok Janshakti Party and Rashtriya Lok Morcha, is all set to cross the 200-mark in a 243-member Assembly, creating a political tsunami. This is a historic mandate. The BJP has emerged as the single largest party, racing towards a record tally of 91, while the JD(U) is set to capture 85 seats. And, Chirag Paswan’s LJP too has put up an impressive performance, leading in 20 seats. For the first time in the history of Bihar since Independence, a pre-poll alliance has secured a vote share of 48 per cent. The Mahagathbandhan, comprising the RJD, the Congress, and others, was gasping to hold on to 30 seats. At one point, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, the face of the opposition, was trailing in his constituency as his party was leading in just 24 seats. The Congress remains the biggest loser in what has now become a familiar story of self-destruction. Of the 61 seats it contested, the grand old party is likely to win just four.
A key takeaway from the Bihar mandate is the spectacular failure of political strategist Prashant Kishor, who had, ironically, crafted winning strategies for several political parties in the past. His Jan Suraaj Party failed to open its account. On a tough political track that Bihar offers, Nitish has clearly emerged as the man of the match, steering the NDA coalition to a stupendous victory that far exceeded the pollsters’ projections. Despite his political somersaults in the past, his clean image and reputation for good governance have earned him the moniker of “sushasan babu” (master of good governance). Undoubtedly, the State has made significant progress on all key parameters of development under his two-decade-long rule. The NDA’s sweep covered all the regions, including Seemanchal, where the Muslim population is significantly high. Also, one of the reasons for the Mahagathbandhan’s debacle is that the average Bihari voter feared a throwback to the ‘Jungle Raj’ era. The historic win for the NDA could be attributed to its ability to stitch together a wider social coalition, bringing various communities on board. The RJD-led alliance, on the other hand, could not grow beyond its traditional social support base, often called M-Y (Muslim-Yadav).
