Win will cause ripples far beyond Bihar

The National Democratic Alliance's landslide win in Bihar — of a magnitude comparable to its 2010 win — is likely to cause ripples far beyond the state.

- Sunetra Choudhury

It has, yet again, reiterated the relevance and importance of cash transfers and women-oriented welfare schemes.

It has already prompted questions within the Congress and the larger INDIA bloc of opposition parties, on the former’s ability to lead, and to win.

It has, especially in the wake of Maharashtra and Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, showcased the ability of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the NDA to win elections, even in the face of significant anti-incumbency.

And analysts expect it to have an impact on the functioning of Parliament, and, in the medium-term, boost the National Democratic Alliance’s numbers in the Rajya Sabha.

For when an alliance wins over 200 seats in a 243-member assembly (the NDA actually won 202), said analysts, it means everything went right for it—just as everything went wrong for the opposing grouping.