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Bihar assembly election-vote-counting update: counting slow due to Covid restrictions- NDA defies predictions

The updates on vote counting have started arriving for Bihar elections 2020. JD(U) is trailing in Nitish Kumar’s home turf. In Nitish Kumar’s stronghold Nalanda, JDU is facing a loss of two seats as per current trends. In Islampur, RJD is leading while in Rajgir, Congress is leading. In 2015 Nitish had won five out of seven assembly seats here. Currently, the party leads in three seats.

NDA is upbeat as ruling front gains lead over Mahagathbandhan (MGB) despite problems faced by JD(U) in Nitish’ home turf. Various sources give the following picture as per the current trend of NDA slipping ahead of the MGB:

NDA leading in 130, MGB leading in 101, LJP leading in 7 and others in 7, according to Times Now

NDA leading in131, MGB leading in 100, LJP leading in 5, others in 7, according to NDTV

NDA leading in121, MGB leading in 112, LJP leading in 2, others in 8, according to News18

NDA leading in 130, MGB leading in 100, LJP leading in 5, others in 8, according to India Today

Four hours since counting began, the National Democratic Alliance is currently well ahead in the polls so far, contrary to the exit poll predictions. This indicates that Chirag Pawan’s Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJP) and other smaller parties may hold the key in claiming the stake to form the state government at Patna if the NDA falls short of the half-way mark.

Tejashwi maintains the lead while RJD trails in Jokihat. BJP remains ahead in Saharsa, trailing in Patna Sahib. Sharad Yadav’s daughter and Congress candidate Subhashini Yadav trails in Bihariganj seats by 1,271 votes.

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Bihar elections 2020: Pushpam Priya with qualification in the relevant field leads the Plurals party with a set agenda to make Bihar Europe by 2030

In the first state election in India after the Covid19-induced lockdown, where youth and their ambitions and aspirations have taken centre stage, Pushpam Priya of Plurals party took the electoral fight based on a fixed agenda and a clear vision. She has the right combination for her election fight; age (33 yrs), political background, and a qualification in the relevant field (a London School of Economic education). Most importantly, she promises 80 lakh jobs, and has a target to make Bihar Europe by 2030.

Moreover, Pushpam has distinctively defied the norms and has set trends since the founding of the party on the women’s day this year to the announcement of the first list of her party, which identifies the participating candidates only as Biharis. She stated that the Plurals party is planning and aiming for a caste-less inclusive approach, reflected in the  party’s name, involving “discussion-based development politics” which will include multiple realities. She has placed herself as the CM candidate. She has also shown the visible defiance of local trends by not using Indian outfits; rather she chose to wear western wear, which she is comfortable in. She has a remarkable presence on social media with well-shot photographs. She considers Martin Luther King Junior and Subhash Chandra Bose as her idols and heroes.

Her party has contested from 148 out of the total 243 assembly seats and she chose the Bankipur seat for herself.  The seat had another scion, Shatrughan Sinha’s son Luv, fighting to make his political debut. Bankipur (held by the BJP) has registered a dismal 35.9% voting, among the lowest in these elections as per data of ECI.

Pushpam has been confidently stating that she is the only one who speaks about real issues. She has further elaborated that since she knows the system with her close observation through her family ties, she would be able to identify the exact problems and figure out their solutions accordingly.

Pushpam has voted from Darbhanga and is confident that her party will form the government without any coalition support. She also claims to have raised money for her campaign by crowd-funding and have picked candidates after “rigorous interviews and background checks”. The Plurals Party says that it has a presence in all districts, with “thousands of workers”. Pushpam added that the three-phase state polls did stretch their resources, with a state as large as Bihar being difficult to cover for a small party in a short time. She further added,”It is a system of elimination, meant for big parties who can travel in helicopters and conduct big rallies.” She added that when she went to study in the UK, she saw how strong their systems are, and how equal the society is. She wants to bring that feature here in the socio-polity of Bihar. In a way to hammer the idea of bias against women, which she intends to counter and fight, she stated that only misogynists and corrupt people are dismissive of her.

The author is a member of Amity centre of Happiness

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Three-time Chief Minister of Bihar-Nitish Kumar hints at retiring from politics

As the Bihar assembly polls enter the final phase, the current Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar recently stated that this might be the last time he is participating in the Bihar elections, while addressing the crowd during his rally in Purnia district.

The three-time CM of Bihar had announced his retirement for the very first time during his rally in Dhamdaha constituency, Purnia.

Following this, most of Kumar’s opponents took the liberty of making statements and comments on his retirement. The Chief Ministerial contender from the grand alliance, Tejashwi Yadav said that the CM is now tired of his duties, which is why he is unable to manage Bihar and has finally understood the political reality of his state.

Chirag Paswan, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader took this opportunity to woo the voters in his favour saying that Kumar and his government are not going to return to be held accountable for their actions. He persuaded the voters to not vote for someone who is not responsible or accountable.

Randeep Singh Surjewala, the Congress leader prominently guiding the strategy of INC for Bihar polls also commented on Kumar’s retirement plans in a recent press conference. He said that it is a good step that the CM has decided to let go of his duties, as the Janata Dal (United) and Modi government led by Bhartiya Janata Party has done more harm than anyone else to Bihar, especially to the youth and women.

While Nitish Kumar has strongly hinted at moving towards his retirement from Bihar politics, he also made sure to assure the current Bihar residents that if given a chance, he will not let them feel unsafe regarding the new Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). As the CM addressed minority groups in the Seemanchal region, he assured  the Muslim community in his speech there, that nobody is sending them away as they are a part of this country.

He mentioned that his government has always focused on spreading brotherhood and compassion among the people. Kumar also talked about how his government managed to pay the ‘Madarsa’teachers’ proper salaries as government school-teachers are paid in other states.

In addition to the Muslims, he also focused on the large proportion of women participation during his stay in Bihar as CM. He said, “When we got an opportunity, we gave them 50% reservation in Panchayati raj institutions and municipal corporations. Three times elections have happened and look at the high number of women (participating). In the same way, for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Extremely Backward Classes, we gave reservations. And in EBCs, everyone is included, from every religion.”

Kumar became the CM of Bihar as part of the National Democratic Alliance in 2000. He has had continuous support from the BJP since 2005.

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

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Bihar Elections 2020: Women voters whose numbers have crossed that of men, ask uncomfortable questions on prohibition and the effects of lockdown

Women supporters of the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar are gradually shifting their allegiance away from the current state government. They are feeling hammered by lockdown and are angry at the failed promises of the state government. Women voters have increased steadily over the past four Assembly elections in Bihar. In 2015, they went ahead of the male populace by a large margin, with 60.48% of them turning out to vote as compared to 53.32% men. Despite expected voter fatigue and weariness, more women had turned out to vote, at 44% (1.06 crore), compared to earlier in 2015, while the figure for men had fallen.

Since 1962, the turnout among women voters in 2015 was the highest in Bihar. In actual numbers though, the total number of men voters (1.9 crore) was slightly more than women voters (1.89 crore) in 2015. In that year, the total voter turnout was at 56.66%.

In 2000, Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar. This resulted in the arrangement of the assembly elections in February and October in 2005, 2010, and 2015. Analysis of the election data in February 2005 indicated that the proportion of women who voted was at 42.51% which was 1.04 crore in total. The analysis showed that in the next 10 years, there was an increase of 20%. On the other hand, among the male voters, 49.94% which was 1.40 crore had voted in February 2005 which increased by a very low 4% till 2015 as compared to the participation of the women. In February 2005, the total voter turnout was 46.5% in Bihar.

The February 2005 election showed a fractured result, hence assembly elections were again held in October of that year in four phases.  As elections were being again held in the same year, weariness and fatigue were expected in the voters. Even under this scenario, women turned out to vote in higher numbers at 44% (total number of women voters was 1.06 crore), which was higher than the February 2005 turnout by the women. On the other hand, the turnout by the male voters fell as compared to the February 2005 scenario.  It was in this election when Nitish Kumar was made the CM of Bihar with BJP supporting the JD(U). Since then, in the Bihar elections, the women’s turnout has seen a continuous rise. For example, in the 2010 Bihar election, women voter turnout increased by more than 10% with respect to the October 2005 polls and reached a level of 54.48%. It was higher than the men’s turnout which was at 51.12%.

In the 2015 polls in Bihar, the turnout of women voters went above the 60% mark and the men’s participation saw a meager increase of 2%. This increasing trend of women voters turnout was carried forward into the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as well when 59.58% of women (1.99 crore) came out to vote and 55% (2.08 crore) of the men voted.

With the increasing participation of the women in the polls in Bihar which to a large extent is guided by caste and gender identities, the government led by Nitish Kumar should be worried as uncomfortable questions are being raised by women in the bastions and strongholds of JD(U). The anger is specifically related to the issue of Prohibition, where the women claim that the promises made while bringing the Prohibition laws were nothing but fake and vacuous statements. The situation has further complicated during the lockdown.

On November 26, 2015, the Nitish Kumar-led government had declared that from April 1, 2016, onwards, a total ban on any type of liquor would be effective in Bihar. But, that does not seem to be the case after more than four years of bringing the prohibition law.

There have been incidents where women claim that they had to stand between their drunk husband and their children to protect the children from getting beaten by the inebriated father. There had been a ‘all happy give and take’ scenario in Bihar with the state government rolling out schemes like cycles for girl students, augmentation of the women run Self-help groups especially under the Jeevika programme and reservation of half of the seats at the Panchayat level for women, and the women coming out in larger numbers to vote Nitish Kumar back in power. But, somehow the promises made in the case of prohibition law do not seem to fit the bill.

The scenario has become much worse after the mismanaged lockdown which created a parallel alcohol-driven economy. With countless workers going out of work during the lockdown and numerous others managing to get back home from Metros across the country, the alcohol became the last resort and refuge for most of the men which added to the issues of domestic violence in the midst of a smashed economy.

There are complaints about the non-availability of necessary rations and void of work which has indirectly impacted the womenfolk. Many women claim that they would have to sell their jewellery items so as to finance the studies of the kids as their husbands are out of job. The category of voters who had seen increasing participation in the polls, the women, are now asking about the promises broken by Nitish. Many are complaining that under the rule of the RJD’s Yadav, the poor had at least some respect and some livelihood, both of which are snatched away now. The lockdown had broken the trust factor of the Nitish Kumar government especially of that group which had been a large and expanding support base for JD(U), the women.

The pitch of the Bihar polls is not going to be easy on Nitish Kumar after the state and its women have faced the brunt of the lockdown and the broken promises of prohibition.

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Bihar elections 2020: INC announces list while LJP takes potshots at JD(U)

Bihar assembly elections starting from October 28 is set to enter its first phase. While all the major contesting parties have declared their candidate lists, Congress was the only one not having done so yet. In the recent run up to the state polls, INC has announced the final list of all the candidates participating in second phase, after individually calling them to file their nomination papers. The party asked the contestants to not wait for the declaration of the final list and straight-away fill their nomination papers individually.

The party symbol was distributed among the candidates by Madan Mohan Jha, the party chief, to ensure their participation in filling the nomination papers before declaration of the final list, said Kishor Kumar Jha, Senior Bihar Congress leader. He also claimed that the incident was a rare occurrence and he had not seen anything like this before in his political career of 38 years.

The final list containing names of 49 candidates participating in the second phase of the elections, was declared on the night of October 15, Thursday, a few hours before the nomination poll was about to be closed.

The selected candidates for Congress Bihar elections comprise Subhashini Raj Rao from Bihari Ganj – the daughter of Sharad Yadav who is a leader of Janta Dal (United), Kali Prasad Pandey – former Lok Janshakti Party general secretary from Kuchaikote region, Luv Sinha (Bankipur)– son of Shatrughan Sinha who is a former BJP leader, along with other members such as Engineer Sanjeev Singh from Vaishali, Chandan Yadav from Beldaur, Brajesh Pandey (Govind Ganj), and Praveen Singh Kushwaha from Patna Saheb.

The Congress will be contesting in 21 seats in the first phase of election polls, followed by 24 in the second phase, and 25 in the third phase of assembly polls for Bihar elections 2020.

LJP leader Chirag Paswan slams JD(U)

A lot is going on among the parties regarding the upcoming Bihar state elections. On Wednesday, October 14, Chirag Paswan, the party chief for LJP made a statement, specifically targeting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, claiming that every vote given to the JD(U) candidates, will result in the migration of children from Bihar.

He said – “Every vote given to JD(U) candidates will force your child to migrate tomorrow. Nitish Kumar needs to put a photo of the Prime Minister. Our thinking aligns with that of the Prime Minister. We share a relationship of heart.” He also said that his party’s motto is not to gain votes based on caste or religion. Releasing their first candidate list while claiming to fight for Bihar first, defines the agenda of LJP of not discriminating any individual on the basis of religion or caste. LJP will be contesting from the seats where JD(U) has placed its candidates and its leadership has also stated that the party will write to the election commission to make sure that only four parties excluding JD(U) can use the photo of the PM in the polls. Paswan also added that he would not be comfortable working under people who denied entry to the Biharis in the state during the Covid-19 triggered nationwide lockdown.  LJP will be contesting from 27 seats in the first phase of Bihar election polls.

Clash between CoBRA and Maoists groups in Gaya, Bihar

On Thursday, October 15 morning at around 4:30 am, one of the units of Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) collided with a group of Maoists in the Chakarbandha forest area in Gaya, Bihar. As per the police, no casualties or injuries had been reported. The police had seized several electronic gadgets and implicated documents from the forest region.

The Maoists had escaped after the clash deep into the forests. Subsequently, security has been tightened in those areas to prevent any such happenings in regards to the upcoming elections starting from October 28.

159 battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been sent to various locations in the Chakarbandha region as reinforcements, from the Aurangabad district and Palamu district of Jharkhand.

Such Maoist activities are not unusual ahead of elections in Bihar. As per the reports, numerous Maoist poster campaigns were started along with explosions in several remote areas to signify their presence in Gaya. The police claims that these are disruptive ‘anti-social elements’ with the motive of creating fear in minds of the voters to inhibit them from taking part in the upcoming elections.

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