Bihar's Electoral Secret

Nitish Kumar has created a women's vote bank by unveiling different schemes for women

- Umesh Kumar Ray

BIHAR Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was attending a programme on women at the S K Memorial Hall in Patna on July 9, 2015—just four months before the assembly elections. When the programme was almost over and Kumar was about to leave, a group of women suddenly broke protocol and wanted to say something to him. The organisers stopped them. Commotion followed. Nitish then intervened and asked the women to say whatever they wanted to say. The women said in unison in an appealing tone, “Mukhyamantriji, kripya karke sharab bandh karaiye. Humara ghar barbad ho raha hai (chief minister, please ban liquor. Our families are being ruined).” This appeal was not only by a few women, but thousands of women wanted to say the same. Kumar, without wasting time, walked back to the dais and announced: “Apki mang zayaz hai. Agar is baar hamari sarkar bani, to hum sharab band karenge (Your demand is justified. If I come to power this time, I will prohibit liquor).” Hearing his announcement, the women clapped and thanked him.

It seemed at that time that he had spoken only to pacify the women. But his announcement was a calculated step. The focus was on women voters, whom he had successfully co-opted in his 15-year tenure as chief minister.

In the 2015 assembly elections, Nitish’s Janata Dal United (JDU), the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress alliance won 178 seats and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) managed to win just 58 seats. Soon after the win, Kumar announced that the prohibition law would be implemented in Bihar from April 1, 2016.