BJP victory in Delhi shifts focus on Bihar

BJP's wins in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Delhi boost NDA's morale ahead of Bihar elections, but experts doubt lasting impact on voter sentiment.

BJP’s victory in three states -- Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi -- has shifted the onus on Bihar with talks already staring in political circles and common people on its likely impact in Bihar. As preparations for the upcoming assembly elections due later this year gather pace, the Bihar elections present the BJP with its most significant challenge since its triumph in Delhi. Will it give a boost to NDA’s quest to retain power in Bihar and win more than 200 seats, which it has set an eye on.

BJP victory in Delhi shifts focus on Bihar

The results indeed have come up as a big boost for the BJP and the NDA as a whole which after initial hiccups, the allies have settled on in the leadership of Nitish Kumar. The assembly polls in Bihar due in October-November this year. A section of NDA leaders feel that elections might also be preponed.

“It will definitely boost up the morale of all alliance partners in Bihar and send the message across the voters that NDA is strong, united and under the able leadership of PM Narendra Modi and chief minister Nitish Kumar is well and truly on track to win 225 seats, a target set by the CM for assembly,” said JD U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan.

The NDA in Bihar, learning from mistakes in 2020 when alliance partners harmed each other, so far, have been working in tandem with joint party workers’ meet being organised in each district. “All five state presidents of NDA are visiting all the districts together to realize one goal, one objective and one resolution of 225 seats in 2025 and Nitish again and are boosting the morale of all the workers,” said JD (U) state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha.

The NDA alliance leaders are exhorting to the workers to maintain mutual unity at every level of the organization and appealing people to finish negative intentions of the family-oriented forces in the upcoming assembly elections.

“There is no alternative to Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the country and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Bihar. Delhi’s victory is the victory of the people there and their faith in PM Narendra Modi’s guarantee,” said Kushwaha.

Already talks have started that BJP victory in Delhi may influence the talks on the seat-sharing and the Chief Ministerial post in Bihar.

Deputy chief minister and BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha rules out any such problem. “PM Modi believes in Sab ka saath, sab ka samman. There is absolutely going to be no problem as and when seat-sharing issues comes up,” he said and served a warning to opposition RJD, which like Kejriwal is making false promises in Bihar.

“Kejriwal lost due to fraudism, false promises. Similarly, Lalu Prasad and his son Tejashwi are making false promises. This will not help them,” said Sinha.

Tejashwi has promised to give ₹2,500 to women head of the family per month under ‘Maai Bahin Maan Yojana’, a scheme similar to BJP’s Ladli Bahin Yojana. The RJD also promised 200 units of free electricity, a popular AAP scheme in Delhi. Other promises by the RJD include a ₹1,500 pension to widows, senior citizens and persons with disabilities; lakhs of jobs for youth, establishment of industries and prevention of migration.

Union Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi buoyed by Delhi victory said that just as Delhi, NDA will form the government in Bihar, where the assembly elections are due later this year.

“Dilli toh jhanki hai, Bihar abhi baaki hai… Jai NDA (Delhi is just a glimpse, Bihar is yet to come. Jai NDA)”, he said in a post on X.

Opposition RJD feels that Delhi results would hardly affect their chances in Bihar. “The people of Bihar are very smart. They will not be misled by BJP. BJP is aflying bird and people of Bihar know how to tame the flying bird,” said RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui while talking to mediapersons.

Experts too feel that barring giving a moral boost up, it won’t give them a push. “It is a moral boosting victory. But people memory are short. In delhi, middle class was bowled by budget announces but that middle class size in Bihar is small. I don’t see this victory will linger that long in Bihar,” said D M Diwakar, former director of A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies.

With finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing several projects for Bihar, the momentum will surely be with the NDA block.