Nitish’s stunning return to power and a cloud of distrust

The Bihar landslide appears a "mystery" to many people because of the Election Commission's partisan role in conducting elections

- ALI CHOUGULE

The "vote for change" call that was heard quite loudly in election campaigning in Bihar amid difficultto-implement electoral promises by both the political alliances, the NDA and Mahagathbandhan (MGB), did not sway the voters in the poorest Indian heartland state as much as the overwhelming faith they placed in continuity by endorsing the leadership of nine-term chief minister Nitish Kumar. In politics, 20 years is a long time to remain an incumbent and still sway voters despite incumbency fatigue. That Kumar did it yet again, like he did in 2010, is an outstanding feat for a leader whose long rule in Bihar has not particularly seen the state flourish and where unemployment is a huge problem.

Though the BJP has emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, there were serious doubts over Nitish's ability to harvest a big mandate for his party. In fact, the JD(U) was widely expected to suffer another setback after a poor performance in 2020, when it had won just 43 seats. Political "gossip" had it that the BJP, despite the JD(U) propping up the Modi government at the Centre, would eventually break Nitish's party if it finished with fewer seats than its 2020 tally. But as the undisputed leader of the alliance and face of its campaign, Nitish's brand, helped by welfare outreach and coalition unity, has silenced his critics with a fifth consecutive win.