Bihar election results: How development agenda, infra push helped NDA win polls

Political analysts feel the Mukhyamantri Rojgar Yojana scheme was one of the primary factors for the NDA to woo the voters and beat the anti-incumbency factor

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is heading for a landslide victory in Bihar. The results of the Bihar assembly polls were announced on Friday with the NDA on course to breach the 200-mark out of the total 243 assembly seats.

oting for the Bihar assembly elections was held in two phases - November 6 and November 11. (ANI file photo)

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar-led government, which has been in power for the last 20 years in the state, was instrumental in NDA’s mammoth victory.

Political analysts feel the Mukhyamantri Rojgar Yojana scheme was one of the primary factors for the NDA to woo the voters and beat the anti-incumbency factor.

Bihar’s Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana aims to promote women’s empowerment through self-employment and livelihood opportunities. It also provides financial assistance to one woman from each family in the state under the scheme. Under the scheme, each beneficiary will receive an initial grant of ₹10,000 via Direct Benefit Transfer, with the possibility of additional financial support of up to ₹2 lakh in subsequent phases.

CM Kumar in his election rallies had emphasised how his government had empowered women in the last two decades through reservations in local bodies, jobs and also providing ₹10,000 for starting own business.

Another poll observer and former principal of Patna College, Nawal Kishore Choudhary feels the landslide victory is a reflection of how people have voted for development.

“Women in particular have voted aggressively as they have benefitted in many ways be it through reservations in local bodies earlier and this time, getting ₹10,000 under Mukyamantri Rojgaar Yojana. CM Nitish Kumar’s credibility as a development oriented leader too has worked wonders for the NDA,” Choudhary said.

He said people have also rejected the dynastic politics of the opposition and given the referendum on the development agenda be it good roads, infrastructure and jobs.

Push for infrastructure

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and CM Kumar have emphasised NDA’s infrastructural push including the completion of several mega bridges over Ganga in different districts, four lane highways connecting Patna to Gaya and partial completion of Metro rail network in Patna. This resonated with people who repaid its faith in the NDA.

“Our government has made 60 lakh Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) units in the last several years benefiting a large number of households,” PM Modi had said in one of his rallies.

Significantly, the NDA government’s introduction of providing free power up to 125 units implemented from September 1 covering around 2 crore households in the state both seems to have contributed in getting voters’ support.

“The government schemes and sops announced by CM Kumar led NDA government like free power of 125 units, ₹10,000 as monetary assistance to over 1 crore women under Rojgar Yojana and expansion of allowances for unemployed youths for two years and other initiatives did play a vital role in getting votes from cross section of the society this time. Besides, the development agenda of the NDA did work in its favour to corner the opposition Mahagathbandhan which did try to push the development issues but was facing credibility challenges,” said R Tiwary, an academician based in Patna.