On November 10, people of Bihar not only proved every political pundit wrong, but also showed their faith in the leadership of Narendra Modi led Bharatiya Janata Party and Nitish Kumar led Janata Dal (United) in the state elections. This Bihar elections result in favour of Nitish Kumar led BJP-JDU ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is historic in itself as this is forth time that the people of the state has given a chance to NDA despite so many tall promises by RJD led Mahagathbandhan. This time the elections in the state were held amid the economic crisis due to Corona Virus. Before the elections, the state had also witnessed an unprecedented migrant crisis which was thought to be a big jolt for Nitish Kumar in the state elections. However, seeing the mandate, one can say that people of Bihar have immense faith in NDA and Nitish Kumar.
In Bihar elections NDA has succeeded in securing an absolute majority in 243 member assembly. NDA has got 125 seats, while opposition Grand Alliance has got 110 seats. Others has also got 8 seats. In this elections, BJP has bagged 74 seats, while JD(U) has won 43 seats. Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Vikas Sheel Insaan Party (VIP) secured four seats each. On the other hand, RJD has won 75 seats and Congress 19. CPI and CPM have got 2 seats each. CPI(ML) has won 12 seats. Asaduddin Owaisi led AIMIM has got 5 seats. LJP, BSP and Independent have got one seat each.
Due to COVID 19, this time the counting process took much longer than usual because more electronic voting machines were deployed to avoid crowding in polling centres as per health rules. To ensure social distancing norms put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this time Election commission had increased the number of polling stations from nearly 65,000 in the 2015 assembly polls to 1.06 lakh.
Not only in Bihar, BJP won many bypolls elections across the country. In Uttar Pradesh bypolls, BJP won six of the seven seats. One seat was won by the Samajwadi Party. In Odisha bypolls, BJD candidates win both Balasore Sadar and Tirtol assembly seats. In Haryana, Congress won bypoll to Baroda Assembly constituency. Its candidate Indu Raj defeated BJP contender and wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt. In Jharkhand, ruling coalition retained both seats that went for by-polls. JMM won from Dumka, while the Congress emerged victorious from Bermo. In Telangana, BJP candidate M Raghunandan Rao won Dubbak Assembly constituency where bypoll was held. In Chhattisgarh, the ruling Congress won the Marwahi Assembly by-poll. In Manipur, ruling BJP secured 4 out of 5 seats where bypolls were held. One seat has gone to an Independent candidate. In Gujarat, BJP bagged all 8 seats where bypolls were held.
Here it is important to mention the 2015 Bihar elections when JDU was part of RJD’s Janata Parivar and had contested against BJP’s NDA. In 2015 Bihar elections, RJD had emerged as the single largest party with 81 seats, followed by JD (U) with 70 seats and BJP with 53 seats. In terms of vote share, BJP came first with 24.4%, followed by RJD with 18.4% and JD (U) with 16.8% and Congress got 6.7%.
"Bihar has taught the world the first lesson of democracy. Today Bihar has told the world again how democracy is strengthened. A record number of poor, deprived and women of Bihar also voted and today have also given their decisive decision for development," PM Modi said after the result.
"The poor in villages, farmers, labourers, merchants, shopkeepers and every section of Bihar have relied on the NDA's mantra of sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas. I again assure every citizen of Bihar that for the balanced development of every person, every region, we will continue to work with full dedication," PM Modi said.
"Young people in Bihar have made it clear that this new decade will be for Bihar and self-sufficient Bihar is its roadmap. The youth of Bihar have relied on their strength and resolve of the NDA. This youthful energy has now encouraged the NDA to work harder than before. Every voter in Bihar has clearly stated that he or she is an aspirant and priority is only and only development. The blessings of the NDA's good governance again after 15 years in Bihar show what Bihar's dreams are, what Bihar's expectations are," PM Modi further added.
Home Minister Amit Shah who was BJP President before JP Nadda while giving his reaction on NDA victory in Bihar said, “Every section in Bihar has rejected the politics of casteism and appeasement and has accepted NDA’s development politics. This is a win for the hopes and aspirations of every Bihari. It is also a win for the double engine of development as represented by PM Modi and Nitish Kumar. I want to congratulate every BJP worker for this win."
“People of Bihar stamped their approval on welfare policies of
Modi govt and work done by Nitish Kumar-led NDA government,” Shah further added.
After the victory in the elections, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the voters of Bihar."The people decide. I bow to them for giving the NDA a majority. I am also grateful for the support from PM Modi," the Chief Minister said.
Bihar deputy chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushil Kumar Modi thanked the people of Bihar for giving NDA Forth Chance in the elections.
“It’s not ordinary. In Indian politics there are very few CMs whom people trusted for the fourth time. They have given a clear mandate to NDA, there is no confusion,” said Sushil Kumar Modi while talking to the media.
Lok Janshakti party leader Chirag Paswan who contested elections in Bihar alone, mainly against Nitish Kumar said, “People have reposed their trust in PM Modi; this is his victory. I am proud LJP did not bend down for power, our vote share increased and this will benefit us in future.”
A day after the Bihar election result, while addressing hundreds of party workers gathered outside the BJP headquarter, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Everyone is asking how did this happen? We can find an answer in yesterday’s results. The people of India clearly stated that the only point of debate during elections would be development in the 21st century India. People of India are asking every other party to come to this plank, and showing them that these are the real issues.”
“BJP has a large group of silent voters that is voting them repeatedly. The women, the Nari Shakti of our country are the silent voters for us. From rural to urban, women have become the largest group of silent voters for us,” said PM Modi
“People’s blessings to NDA’s good governance even after 15 years
of rule shows what are Bihar’s dreams and expectations,” he further added. "No re-polling and peaceful conduct of voting were the distinctive features of Bihar elections. Earlier there used to be news of booth capturing," PM Modi also added in his address.
While addressing the gathering, BJP President J P Nadda said, “This was India's first big elections after the world was hit by the COVID pandemic. From the viewpoint of contributing to the elections to bringing people out to vote for us, it has been a big and defining period. This elections show how the Modi government has taken the welfare schemes to the masses and we must also remember that the people of Bihar have chosen Vikasraj instead of Gundaraj.”
By Uday India Bureau
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