Bihar polls see direct benefit issues v/s indirect benefit issues

Patna, Nov 6 (IANS) The Bihar assembly election 2020 will be remembered for a long time due to it’s timing. It is being held in the time of the coronavirus pandemic and the Election Commission of India (ECI) has managed to conduct the first two phases successfully with very few incidents of violence or any other untoward incident.Over the years, elections in Bihar were contested on the issue of “Jungle Raj” (Lawlessness) versus “Sushasan” (Good Governance) but it is the first time that unemployment, jobs, flood situation, migration are in the minds of voters and they have placed direct benefit issues over indirect benefit issues like Sushasan, financial packages from the Centre or promise of creating industrial corridors in places having litchi farming, Madhubani paintings, makhana, jute, sugar mills, industries.For the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), it’s leaders have brought up national issues like article 370, CAA, NRC, Kashmiri militants taking shelter in Bihar, Jinnah, fear of Jungle Raj returning at every rally, apart from “Vocal for Local”, development under the Nitish Kumar government and good governance.Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a late entry into the election campaign in Bihar but he has convincingly coined some new terminology like Yuvraj (Crown Prince) and Yuvraj of Jungle Raj respectively for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.Modi addressed 12 election rallies in Bihar in 4 days and targeted the opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) leaders. He said during the Uttar Pradesh election, the two Yuvrajs came together waving hands from the top of a bus. The people of UP sent them back home and one of the Yuvraj’s (Rahul Gandhi) came to Bihar and met the Yuvraj of Jungle Raj (Tejashwi Yadav). Modi has also written a letter addressed to the people of Bihar saying they need the Nitish Kumar government in the state for development and good governance.Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has held around 85 rallies in the state and he strongly cited his achievements, development work, road infrastructures, power supply, water connectivity, Saat Nishchay Yojana at every rally. He also compared his good governance (Sushasan) with the RJD tenure which he termed Jungle Raj. He pointed out the pathetic law and order situation during the RJD rule when people stayed indoors after sunset. In his last rally, he announced that it was his last election.For the Mahagathbandhan, Tejashwi Yadav has shouldered the burden of campaigning for the RJD alone. He has addressed over 250 poll rallies across the state with on an average 15 to 17 rallies in one day. He has focused on issues like jobs, unemployment, migration, flood situation, price rise and the three new Central farmers’ bills. His promise of 10 lakh government jobs turned out to be a master stroke in pulling in the crowds at his election rallies. The 10 lakh jobs promise has rattled the NDA leaders with some of them like former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadanvis trying to counter him saying that he would buy 10 lakh tamanche (countrymade pistols) to promote the kidnapping industry in Bihar.Other NDA leaders have targeted Tejashwi on his educational qualifications. Almost all the NDA leaders scoffed that Tejashwi was unable to pass even class 9, despite being the son of two CMs. How could a person who was unable to pass class 9 give 10 lakh jobs, they asked. He doesn’t understand economics. How could he arrange funds for salaries, they queried.Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has held over two dozen rallies in Bihar and brought up the Ayodhya temple issue with the probable intention to polarise the voters. He has also mentioned the Jungle Raj during the RJD regime.Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has done 8 rallies in Bihar and he has emphasised on issues like jobs, migration of youths and the flood situation. Just like Tejashwi Yadav, he hit out at the inhumane behaviour of the Nitish Kumar government when he didn’t allow migrant labourers to enter Bihar at the beginning of the lockdown. Gandhi also targeted the Narendra Modi government over demonstration, GST and the lockdown. He said the Modi government implemented them without any planning and badly affected the common people, especially the daily wage labourers.Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai at a rally in Vaishali said that if the Mahagathbandhan came to power, Kashmiri militants will take shelter in Bihar.Another union minister Giriraj Singh brought Pakistan’s founder Jinnah into the election campaign. While interacting with the media in Darbhanga, he said the Congress has given a ticket to a person who believed in the ideology of Jinnah.AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi brought up the CAA and the NRC at rallies in Seemanchal areas to polarise Muslim voters.–IANS ajk/bg