The Lok Sabha 2024 elections, like all polls, are considered to be as significant as those in the past. However, Bihar’s seven-phase elections for its 40 Parliamentary seats this time will not only decide between the NDA and the INDIA Bloc but also seal the fate for the future politics of the longest-serving Chief Minister Nitish Kumar now in his seventies, regardless of his alliances.
While it is a direct contest between the BJP-led NDA and the RJD-led INDIA Bloc, Nitish is on the ‘radar’ of the people of Bihar, making him the litmus test for his major coalition partner, the BJP, which has long struggled to ‘install’ their own candidate as head of the State Government.
As per the estimates of several politicians and parties, amidst the poll fervour, it is comprehensible that the BJP and the RJD will have a close finish against each other. The June 4 poll result may highlight any political misstep by the BJP in realigning with JD(U), as its tallest leader’s popularity is waning.
They also said that Nitish would be able save his skin a bit just in the name of the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Am certain not only Nitish but his party JD(U) too, due to severe internal factionalism pre- and post-Lalan Singh era, is affected. The cadre is facing difficulties in explaining the voters of Bihar due to the lone instance of repeated flip-flops by a sitting Chief Minister in the history of Indian politics. Biharis don’t like to be tagged as ‘paltu’, a more derogatory term than the old ‘aayaa Ram, gayaa Ram’. But I have got feedback that people of the State across the world are facing difficulty in explaining his frequently changing sides.
“Nitish Kumar rode over Lalu Raj and people overwhelmingly voted for him going beyond caste and religion, but things are different now.
“He seems to have run out of ideas for a good last two terms. His last alliance with Tejaswi Yadav’s RJD kindled some hope on the employment front. But such people-oriented development seems to have taken a back seat while caste and religion-ridden politics is back if you look at the pattern of ticket distribution,” Pushpendra Kumar, former Professor and chairperson of prestigious Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Patna Centre and now working full time as a researcher of Bihar’s society and polity, told The Pioneer in a tete-e-tete revolving around the general elections in Bihar.
Even residents of the village of Bihar CM expressed disenchantment towards the son of their soil due to his several political oscillations.
“We were so proud that Nitish was so instrumental in bringing back Bihar to life after years of misrule by Lalu Raj but now we are fed up with Nitish’s own decisions. I can only remember the Bollywood song Is Mod Se Jaate Hai Kuch Sust Kadam Raste Kuch Tej Kadam Rahein…,” said Pradeep Mahto, a villager of Kalyan Bigha near Harnaut in Nalanda district.
According to the Bihar Economic Survey (2023-24) the State has over 88 per cent rural population and 50 per cent of its workforce is engaged in agriculture.
The phase 1 polls on April 19 will see elections in Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, and Jamui while second phase on April 26 will take place in Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur, and Banka.
With 40 Lok Sabha seats, Bihar is considered to be a hotbed for Indian politics as it is the fourth-highest State overall.
While the JD(U) is contesting from 16 seats, the BJP from 17 seats and its partner LJP of Ram Vilas Paswan fighting on five seats and former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Majhi’s HAM and RLP each running for one seat.
The Mahagathbandhan also part of INDIA Bloc with the Congress as its partner in Bihar, the largest coalition member the RJD has staked for 26 seats while CPI(ML) on three seats, CPI and CPM one each, and the Congress nine seats.
The BJP, JDU, and LJP together formed the NDA, which won 39 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The third phase May 7 will see polls in Jhanjharpur, Supaul, Araria, Madhepura, and Khagaria, and the fourth will be held in Darbhanga, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai, and Munger on May 13.
Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Saran and Hajipur will go to polls in fifth phase on May 17 the sixth phase will be held in Valmiki Nagar, Paschim Champaran, Purvi Champaran, Sheohar, Vaishali, Gopalganj, Siwan, and Maharajganj would on May 25.
The final phase would see elections in Nalanda, Patna Sahib, Pataliputra, Arrah, Buxar, Sasaram, Karakat, and Jahanabad on June 1.
