The political temperature is rising in Bihar as the election approaches. All political factions are working to strengthen their bases and attract voters. The NDA has announced its new election slogan for the Bihar Assembly elections: ‘Bihar, which has caught the pace of development…NDA Government Again.’ BJP sources say that the slogan will be officially launched by September 30th. However, the underlying political strategy is readily apparent.
With the tagline “Bihar, which has caught the pace of development…NDA Government Again”, the NDA alliance is launching its campaign for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Several BJP leaders in Bihar, including Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary and Bihar in-charge Vinod Tawde, have begun promoting this message on social media, although the official announcement is still pending.
**Campaign Trail: 245 LED-Equipped Raths**
The BJP is aiming to highlight the development that has occurred in Bihar during the NDA’s term, with a focus on infrastructure, education, good governance, employment, and the education system, to gain the trust of the state’s residents. To boost this message, the NDA has assembled a large fleet of 245 LED-equipped campaign vehicles for the assembly elections.
These technologically advanced raths will be flagged off by a senior central minister by September 30th, and will travel to all assembly constituencies across the state. Equipped with modern technology, these LED raths will bring the achievements and promises of the Bihar government to villages throughout the state.
**Reaching Every Constituency with Campaign Raths**
BJP spokesperson Prabhakar Mishra stated, “Bihar has experienced rapid development, which is why the NDA government is returning. The NDA will use the raths in every assembly constituency to promote the achievements and promises of the NDA government.” The BJP plans to use audio-visuals in the campaign raths to highlight various initiatives, such as 125 units of free electricity, the doubling of pensions for the elderly and women, and increased stipends for Anganwadi workers.
The Bihar government is using its actions as an electoral advantage. According to sources, the audio-visuals that will be shown in these campaign raths will cover all significant actions of the Bihar and central governments. For instance, the Bihar government is planning to deposit Rs 10,000 into the accounts of women in the coming days of September.
On September 17th, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar transferred Rs 5,000 to the accounts of 1.6 million workers. Additionally, the Bihar government will emphasize its popular initiatives and promises, such as 1 crore jobs for youth, a Rs 1,000 allowance for all graduates, interest-free student credit cards, and Rs 10,000 for women.
**JDU’s Perspective**
While the BJP is preparing to make the NDA’s development model the key focus of the election with a new slogan and the rath yatra, the JDU has not yet issued any comments on the matter. In the past, JDU’s campaigns have centered around CM Nitish Kumar. This time, the election campaign features images of both PM Modi and CM Nitish, but not the Chief Minister’s name.
In April, when there was uncertainty and dispute regarding the continued tenure of Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister, the JDU office displayed the slogan “25 to 30, Nitish again.” The JDU’s slogan for the 2020 elections was “Why consider, Nitish Kumar is fine.” And for the 2015 Assembly elections, the JDU’s slogan was “Bihar is prosperous, Nitish Kumar is there.” It remains to be seen what JDU’s reaction will be to the NDA’s new slogan. Is this slogan a part of a strategic move, or is it a political test?