With the Bihar Assembly elections set for October-November, the political landscape is heating up. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to visit the state early next month, a move that typically precedes the announcement of polling dates. This has intensified speculation and set the stage for a crucial electoral battle between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition INDIA bloc.
The upcoming polls will see the NDA, comprising the BJP, JD(U), and LJP, seeking to retain power. Their main challenger, the INDIA bloc—an alliance of the RJD, Congress, and various left parties—is focused on unseating Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
In the current 243-member Bihar Assembly, the NDA holds a majority with 131 members. This includes 80 MLAs from the BJP, 45 from the JD(U), and 4 from HAM(S), with the additional support of two independent candidates. The opposition INDIA bloc has 111 members, with the RJD leading the charge with 77 MLAs. The other members are the Congress (19 MLAs), CPI(ML) (11 MLAs), CPI(M) (2 MLAs), and CPI (2 MLAs).
As the election draws near, political parties are ramping up their strategies. The Congress party is set to hold a crucial Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Patna on September 24 at their state headquarters, Sadaqat Ashram. The meeting is expected to be attended by senior leaders including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and others. According to state party in-charge Krishna Allavaru, the meeting will address a range of issues, from alleged “vote theft” to pressing concerns like rising crime, unemployment, and inflation in the state.
Meanwhile, the Nitish Kumar-led government has announced several measures aimed at voters. These initiatives include providing free electricity, appointing over 10,000 “Vikas Mitras” to assist Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities in accessing government schemes, and offering a ₹10,000 grant to more than 30,000 “Shiksha Sevaks” and “Talimi Markaz” to help them purchase smartphones. These Shiksha Sevaks and Talimi Markaz workers play a vital role in connecting children from Mahadalit, minority, and extremely backward communities with formal school education.