The battle for the 243-seat Bihar Assembly is heating up, with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) set to release its joint manifesto on Friday, October 31.
The release, which is expected to be attended by all senior leaders of the ruling alliance, comes days after the Opposition’s Grand Alliance, the Mahagathbandhan, unveiled its own sweeping set of promises to the electorate, news agency ANI reported.
The polls for the Bihar Assembly will be conducted in two phases on November 6 and 11, with the results, along with those for eight seats across seven states and Union Territories going to byelections, scheduled for declaration on November 14.
The NDA comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)], Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha. Facing them is the Mahagathbandhan, which is led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and includes the Congress party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML) led by Deepankar Bhattacharya, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Mukesh Sahani’s Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP).
Mahagathbandhan’s Focus on Jobs, Welfare
The Mahagathbandhan, led by RJD and Congress, released its manifesto earlier this week, on Tuesday. Titled ‘Bihar Ka Tejashwi Pran’ (Tejashwi’s Resolve for Bihar), the document focuses heavily on employment, social security, and pro-farmer policies.
The alliance has promised to address the employment crisis by passing a law “within 20 days of forming government, to provide government jobs to one member of every family in the state.”
The party’s leaders, including RJD chief ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy CM candidate and VIP chief Mukesh Sahani, Congress leader Pawan Khera, and CPI(ML)’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, were present at the release.
The manifesto outlines several major financial commitments targeting key voter demographics, including women, farmers, minorities, and Backward Classes.
Under the ‘Mai-Behin Maan Yojana’, women will receive financial assistance of “Rs 2,500 per month from December 1 for the next five years.” The Opposition has promised to restore the OPS for government employees. The alliance has pledged to provide “free health insurance up to Rs 25 lakh” for every individual under the Jan Swasthya Suraksha Yojana. Additionally, “every family will receive 200 units of free electricity.”
In a significant move towards agrarian reform, the Mahagathbandhan promised that farmers “will be guaranteed the purchase of all crops at the minimum support price.” To facilitate this, the alliance pledged to revive the Mandi and Market Committee and reinstate the APMC Act.
Regarding religious minorities, the manifesto promises to put the Waqf (Amendment) Act on hold, and to make the management of Waqf properties “welfare-oriented and transparent.”
Finally, the manifesto proposes raising the current 20 per cent reservation for the Most Backward Classes in Panchayat and Municipal bodies to 30 per cent. This limit will also be raised for Scheduled Castes (SCs) from 16 per cent to 20 per cent, and a proportionate increase will be ensured for Scheduled Tribes (STs), the manifesto stated.