The decisive mandate for NDA in Bihar assembly elections is a clear indication of people’s faith in the coalition and its policies at the Center. It also reflects that people trust Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of development for India. Bihar, under the BJP supported government, has been slowly developing after many years of development deficit. “Bihar has taught the world the first lesson of democracy. Today Bihar has told the world again how democracy is strengthened. A record number of poor, deprived and women of Bihar also voted and today have also given their decisive decision for development,” PM Modi tweeted in Hindi.
It is also a reflection of the various policies and programmes implemented by Nitish Kumar as chief minister in the state for the last three terms. He has consistently followed a policy of development to improve the infrastructure in the state of Bihar.
Such efforts have been appreciated by the poor, as they were offered enough employment opportunities in the state. It also gave an option to attract new investment and industrialisation. That, in turn, helped a generation to secure employment within the state. The campaign itself indicated that despite best efforts of the opposition parties to bring in caste and other elements, NDA allies stuck to their line and focused on development. It is not surprising that despite exit polls dismissing NDA, it has emerged victorious since people of Bihar found the platform of development more attractive and genuine.
A debate about the future Chief Minister of Bihar will be settled in the next few days. It will then be the real test for the NDA led government to prove that their commitment to make Bihar a developed state is not just poll rhetoric, but a conviction. However, BJP, as a senior ally of NDA in Bihar, should seriously explore the long-standing demand of the state for a ‘special status.’ It will not only strengthen the reposed faith in the NDA but could also prove decisive in Uttar Pradesh elections in 2022 and General Elections in 2024.
