NDA's Bihar encore

As the National Democratic Alliance romps back to power in Bihar on the back of a bouquet of cash-transfer schemes and a rainbow caste coalition, its performance mirrors the one in 2010, when the combine bagged 206 seats

- 

JDU activists celebrate the victory of the NDA in the Bihar Assembly elections, in Patna on Friday. The elections were held amid speculations that anti-incumbency and fatigue factor may work against CM Nitish Kumar, who was at the helm for almost two decades

(PTI)

“Thankyou foryourservice”. This was the message the electorate of Biharsentto Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) galloped toward a victory without parallel following a virtually seamless alliance.

The Opposition was decimated. Forthe first time in several decades, only one member of Lalu Prasad’s family will be seen in the Bihar Assembly (at one time, there were eight). The Opposition alliance fell victim to “friendly fights”, internecine quarrels, and confused political messaging.

But even as they savoured the moment, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal United (JDU), the two biggest parties in the alliance, had begun looking to maximise their gains.