Labharthi vs. Mandal 2.0: NDA Bets on “Women–Welfare Card” to Counter Tejashwi’s Muslim–Yadav Base in Bihar
That question is gaining traction as the state heads into a high-stakes election.
For nearly 20 years, Bihar’s voters have repeatedly brought Nitish Kumar back to the Chief Minister’s office.
Yet, with age advancing and anti-incumbency simmering, many political observers believe this election could be his toughest test.
Simply invoking memories of the 1990s “Jungle Raj” under Lalu Prasad Yadav may no longer strike the same chord—particularly with a young voter base that sees Nitish Kumar as the face of everything that has gone right, wrong, or unfinished in Bihar, writes M Hasan
NDA’s New Strategy: M-Y 2.0 — Mahila + Yojana
After witnessing the success of the “Labharthi” (beneficiary) vote bank in Uttar Pradesh, the NDA has now attempted to replicate and remix the formula in Bihar.
In UP, the BJP stitched together caste support along with a powerful bloc of welfare beneficiaries, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath popularized a new M-Y equation—Mahila + Yojana—to counter the traditional Muslim + Yadav coalition of the Samajwadi Party.
Following that script, the NDA in Bihar has rolled out an expansive package of welfare promises aimed primarily at women and economically marginalized voters.
These schemes complement existing central initiatives like free rations, PM-Kisan transfers for farmers, and planned cash support for low-income women.
A New Voter Psychology
Reports from the ground suggest that while caste loyalties continue to shape electoral behavior in Bihar, they are increasingly intersecting with welfare-driven aspirations.
A growing section of women and lower-income voters—many of whom have benefited from Nitish Kumar’s welfare programs such as housing, gas connections, and sanitation facilities—are now asserting demands for more targeted support.
In 2020, the NDA’s success was partly attributed to its ability to convert welfare access into political capital by directly linking government assistance to electoral choice.
This “individual benefit over community benefit” approach appears to be the strategy again—creating not just direct beneficiaries but also a wider pool of prospective ones who anticipate continued support.
The Challenge Ahead
The Mahagathbandhan has also rolled out generous welfare promises, but the NDA is emphasizing its delivery record and long list of schemes already implemented.
Yet, significant questions linger:
- Can Nitish Kumar overcome voter fatigue after ruling for two decades?
- Will welfare benefits outweigh discontent over unemployment, migration, and governance gaps?
- Will young voters view continuity as progress—or stagnation?
For Bihar’s new generation, Nitish Kumar is not just a reformer of the past; he is the status quo today.
They judge him less by his contrast with Lalu Prasad Yadav and more by Bihar’s present economic and developmental realities.
As poll day nears, the electorate stands at a crossroads—balancing identity, aspiration, and welfare.
Whether the NDA’s “Labharthi” engine and the women-welfare M-Y card can once again deliver victory remains the defining question of Bihar’s election battle.
(The writer, M Hasan, is a former Chief of Bureau, Hindustan Times, Lucknow)
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