Recently, just before the beginning of Bihar polls, Congress president Sonia Gandhi stated that change is in the air in Bihar. Mrs. Gandhi, in a four and half minute-long video, which was released a day before the polling for the first phase of the assembly election, had also attacked the NDA (National Democratic alliance) backed government in the state for its failed governance that led to anguish among the people.

INC president Mrs.Gandhi appealed in the video to the people of Bihar to vote for the “Mahagathbandhan” or grand alliance. She asserted that the government in Bihar is engrossed in crave for power and that it has become supercilious and has roamed away from its path. She added, “Neither its action nor its words are good. The workers are quite helpless, farmers are suffering and young people are disappointed. The effects of demonetization and the current brittle state of the economy are affecting the lives of the people.”

She further added in her speech that Dalits, Mahadalits and backward sections of the society have been left on the edge of penury and destitution. She further stated in her message that the grand alliance of the congress is actually the representative of “Bihar today”. The grand alliance consists of RJD, Congress, Left parties, and other parties with similar ideological orientations. The first phase of voting took place on Wednesday in 71 of the 243 assembly seats in the state. The second phase of polling is fixed on November 3 and the third phase is slated for November 7, and the result will be declared on November 10.

Mrs. Gandhi also elaborated that Bihar has the skill, talent, and also the capabilities, and yet unemployment is on the rise, with migration, inflation, and starvation still giving the people only tears and blisters on their feet. In a note of connection to the people, she stated that Bihar is a mirror of India and that it is also an aspiration and pride of India. She also added that today Bihar is getting ready for a change for its glory and future. Here, in her speech, she reiterated her point about “Change in the air”.

In reply to the assertions and appeals by INC, BJP’s national spokesperson Guruprakash told that the congress as no locus standi to make any comments on Bihar as the state had horrible years under the rule of its poll partner RJD. In a parallel development in the same story of Bihar polls, the PM had tried to bring the attention on alleged jungle raj under RJD, and had hinted that the LJP is not in the BJP-JD(U) alliance.

The author is a student member of Amity Centre of Happiness.