The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
JD(U) sheen off, for Bihar’s NDA voters, it’s Modi in 2024, not Nitish
FOR THE large part of Nitish Kumar’s 19-year rule in Bihar, his leadership has been identified with an efficient administration that restored law and order in the state, built road infrastructure, empowered girls, women and disadvantaged sections of society with schemes, carefully designed. Credited with identifying women as a separate constituency in the country — long before it became the flavour of many a party —
Nitish also enforced prohibition in the state in 2016.
That, too, was a hit with many women at the receiving end of abuse and distress because of their spouses’ alcoholism.
However, a stagnating growth, lack of job opportunities at home, administrative corruption, poorly implemented prohibition, crumbling cities beyond the capital, and his own ideological flip-flops are dimming the halo around Bihar’s Vikas Purush.
This was visible in the 2020 Assembly polls, when Nitish’s JD(U) was reduced from over 70 seats in the Assembly to just 43 and now in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, it’s dimmed further.
While voters, cutting across caste lines, flag his “good work,” they report a sense of fatigue with his long reign, frustration with his flip-flops, and impatience with his inability to spur Bihar to the next level. Across the 16 seats JD(U) is contesting, those voting for the NDA are clear: they are voting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, not for Nitish or his candidate.
PROHIBITION
Among voters, there is special criticism reserved for prohibition, specially from OBCS, EBCS and Dalits, the caste groups that constitute Nitish’s core base.
“Look, I am a poldaar (daily wagers who lift weight). If I don’t get a drink after the day’s work, I will not be able to sleep in the night. But we are the ones facing the police crackdown, the rich get away with bribes,” says Raju Mandal, a Kurmi, at Dhankaul Bazaar in Sheohar. Mandal has been arrested thrice for being found drunk.
Vijay Kumhar (EBC), a daily wager from Sitamarhi, says prohibition should not just be on paper. “Liquor is freely available, just more expensive. The police are merely cracking down on consumers. The jails are full of poor people. Police does not go after bootleggers and smugglers as they pay them regular bribes,” he says.
Kumhar adds that this time he is voting for Nitish’s candidate in Sitamarhi because of Modi, but in 2025, he will vote for change.
In Machchharganwa village of Valmikinagar constituency, Lallan Yadav and Ramakant, a Musahar, discuss how bootleggers have fattened on illegal payoffs.
Even women do not seem to be as positive about prohibition as they were earlier.
Says Rita Devi, a Kurmi teastall owner in Bettiah in West Champaran: “Prohibition is good. A few members of my family died of alcohol. But it should be total. The only good thing is people are not roaming on the roads drunk.” Kavita Devi (name changed) from in Jhanjharpur is less complimentary.
“If prohibition was really implemented, I would compliment Nitish Kumar. But men are still drinking and coming home and fighting with their wives. My
husband the other day even broke down Hanuman ji’s statue in the house. Now since liquor has become expensive, whatever little money he used to bring home is also gone,” she says.
UNEMPLOYMENT
Then there is anger over unemployment and corruption, for which people appear to hold Nitish responsible.
Umesh Kumar, 25, a Nai by caste and profession, and Pushparaj Kumar Sharma, 27, an unemployed Lohar—both Obc-from Rampurwa in Valmikinagar constituency say they have been Nitish voters but will change the regime in 2025.
They say Bihar’s biggest problem is unemployment but the state government and local JD(U) candidates have done nothing. “They have so much money that they can setup factories for themselves but they won’t spend a penny for people,” says Sharma.
Deepak Kumar, a 35-year-old Gond from the tribal village of Semara in the constituency raises similar concerns but holds both Modi and Nitish responsible.
“I am not seeking a government job. But at least the government should open a couple of factories here. All the young people in the state are forced to work in other states. I work in Bengaluru as a carpenter. we don' t like working outside the state. We are not treated well and live in pitiable condition. look at karna t aka, how developed it is. look at bi h ar, even Nepal looks better than us,” he says.
Deepak Chaurasiya, an OBC paan shop owner in Munger, brings together prohibition and unemployment when he says, “Nitish babu sirf band karwaye, khulwaye kuch nahi.”
Where factories have been opened, there are complaints of outsiders cornering jobs.
“Recently, a dairy opened here in Munger. But all the jobs have gone to Bengalis there. Don’t we need jobs?” says Santosh Kumar, 25, a Paswan Dalit from Jamalpur in Munger district.
The ca ste survey conducted by the Nitish Kumar government is appreciated but many feel without Modi it won’t bear fruits. “Even after the survey, whatever we will get will come from Modi. After all, he is the one who has the funds,” says Badshah Mandal (Ebc),a daily wager from agarpur village in Bhagalpur.
CORRUPTION
Then there are complaints of “afsarshahi” taking away the benefits of Nitish’s “sushashan”.
“Nitish Kumar must do something about corruption. No work gets done without paying bribes here. Even for Aadhar, block officialsareas king for rs 500. even for schemes, officials want a cut. If you can’ t pay, you won’ t get it ,” say Deendayal Ram and Ramlakhan Ram, both dal its from ramp urwa, once a Naxal-affected village in Valmikinagar constituency. It’s a voice one hears across Bihar with the refrain being that in Lalu Raj bandits came during the night while in Nitish Raj they sit in government offices during the day.
FLIP FLOPS
Having switched sides four times since 2015, voters have also begun to doubt Nitish’s once “principled politics ”.“he did great work in his first term. But since then he has only been focused on his chair. It appears the only thing constant in Bihar these days is Nitish as CM. I do not like the RJD, but Tejashwi is at least standing where he is,” says Pushpkumar Kushwaha, an insurance agent from Bhitti village in Bhagalpur. His friend Shani Kumar, a Pasi Dalit, defends Nitish, saying the Bj pan drjd areas much of a“paltu Ram” as ni ti sh because they chose to align with them despite having been “cheated” earlier.
EDUCATION REFORM
One thing getting ni tisha positive buzz is the new-found discipline enforced in schools by additional chief secretary of education
De part mentKK Pathak. While teachers complain about extra pressure and long working hours (schools have been kept open for teachers even during summer vacations to help weaker students ), students and parents say this is a much-needed step to reform Bihar’s education system. “Teachers can’t mark attendance and go absent anymore. There is such fear that they don’t even sit in chair while teaching. Some fresh batch of teachers brought through the Bihar Public Service Commission are also very knowledgeable,” said a bunch of students outside a school in Ramnagar in West Champaran.
While Modi’s popularity may steer JD(U)’S leaky boat in 2024 polls, Nitish may need more like Pathak’s reforms to sail smoothly in the 2025 Bihar Assembly polls.