PATNA – India’s poorest state, Bihar, will go to the polls on Thursday, with economic hardship and unemployment emerging as the central issues for its 130 million residents.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is hoping to capitalize on voters’ economic concerns, offering cash incentives and large-scale investment promises in a bid to secure full control in the state — a feat it has never achieved alone.
Despite recent progress in reducing poverty, Bihar remains India’s worst-performing state on poverty indicators, with a GDP per capita of 52,379 rupees. Many families, like that of Rajkumari Devi in Muzaffarpur, survive on irregular daily wages. “There is unemployment everywhere,” she said, describing how her husband earns barely $5 a day when work is available.
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In September, Modi announced $8 billion in infrastructure projects and an $844 million initiative for women entrepreneurs, offering cash transfers of 10,000 rupees each to 7.5 million women. However, the BJP-led NDA alliance, supported by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, faces a strong challenge from the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress coalition.
Analysts say a BJP victory in Bihar could energize the party’s prospects in other key battleground states like West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. Political analyst Pushpendra noted that the result will hinge on which party voters believe can “help their future,” adding that being “Bihari” has become synonymous with “jobless people.” The two-phase election will be held on November 6 and 11, with results expected on November 14.
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