Hajipur: Voting is underway in the first phase of Bihar Assembly elections across 121 constituencies, setting the stage for a fierce political battle. The ruling JD(U)-BJP alliance is fighting to retain power, while the RJD-Congress-led opposition is leaving no stone unturned to reclaim the state.

Adding a fresh twist to the contest, election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor's party, Jan Suraaj, has entered the fray, aiming to disrupt traditional equations and establish its presence in Bihar's evolving political landscape.

Asianet Newsable English visited Hajipur and nearby constituencies in Vaishali district to gauge the mood of the voters and understand the key issues shaping this high-stakes election.

'M' Factor

Just weeks before the polls in October, the Nitish Kumar government credited ₹10,000 each into the bank accounts of 25 lakh women beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana.

Earlier, on September 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the scheme and transferred ₹7,500 crore to the accounts of 75 lakh women across Bihar through video conferencing from Delhi.

Women voters in the state are happy with the new scheme. Murlidhar Mukesh Singh, a professor in Satendra Narain Singh (SNS) college told:“The women voters were getting drifted towards the RJD and Jan Suraaj for their promises. With launch of this scheme, Nitish Kumar has now stopped them. This time again they will vote them in big numbers.”

“Hum to vote NDA ko hi denge (I will vote for NDA). Humko rozgar ke liye nitish sarkar das hazar rupay diye hain (I have got Rs 10,000 from the Nitish government to start my own business,” Baby Devi, a voter in Lalganj constituency said.

The Gladiator

After bidding farewell to election strategising, Prashant Kishor embarked on a state-wide foot march two years ago, covering over 5,000 villages across Bihar. He later launched his own political outfit, Jan Suraaj, positioning it as an alternative to both the NDA and INDIA alliances.

A state once dominated by caste-driven politics is now witnessing discussions on migration, employment, industrialisation, and quality of life - issues Kishor has successfully brought to the forefront.

BK Singh, a retired government official said:“We should give credit to PK for bringing the moot issues like employment, development and industry into the centre stage. He is like boon for the Bihar political landscape.”

“He may not do well this time but he is the future,” said BK Singh, who is vouching and convincing others for Jan Suraaj.

Because of PK's Jan Suraaj,“No one can predict that who is forming the government,” said Harsh Vardhan, a Delhi-based lawyer who travelled to Mahua to cast his vote. He added that Kishor's presence is also eating into the Mahagathbandhan's vote share.

The Formidable Caste Equation

Bihar's political landscape has long been defined by its intricate caste dynamics, which continue to shape electoral strategies and alliances.

The RJD continues to draw strength from its traditional Yadav-Muslim support base, while the JD(U) banks on the backing of Kurmis and EBCs. The BJP, on the other hand, is working to widen its reach among upper castes and non-Yadav OBCs.

In this election, the RJD-Congress alliance has sought to broaden its social base by bringing the Tanti-Tatwa and Ram communities-together comprising about 8% of the electorate-into its fold.

Meanwhile, Mukesh Sahni, who was part of the NDA in 2020, has switched sides to join the INDIA alliance, where he has been projected as Deputy Chief Minister. His community accounts for roughly 2% of Bihar's population.

In NDA, they have managed to bring back to Chirag Paswan's LJP (RV), who has around 6 percent of total vote share. Last time he contested alone and that too against JDU only, restricting the Chief Minister's party tally at 45.

Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), which had contested the previous election as part of a different alliance, has now returned to the NDA fold.

“It is very hard to predict what will happen in this election. Voters are silent this time. Anything concrete cannot be known,” Sonu Kumar, a local political observer said.

“With shifting loyalties and emerging youth aspirations, Bihar's formidable caste equation remains the defining factor in determining political fortunes,” he added.

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