Muzaffarpur/Darbhanga (Bihar): The smooth highway coursing through Muzaffarpur into Mithilanchal is not only a gateway to a distinct cultural landscape but also a region of changed political narrative as the ruling BJP-JD(U) combine seeks to draw support from the poorest sections of society on the back of a number of welfare schemes to take on a resurgent RJD-led alliance.
The Mithila region was hit hard by floods, and a large section of the extremely backward communities (EBCs), whose numbers are higher than the state average in many seats here, and scheduled castes benefited from the relief package, including cash transfer of Rs 6000, of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led state government.
And above all, it is the ‘Brand Modi’ that shines brightest in one village after another as people praise the prime minister for free ration, from April to November, and money transfer to the poor following the coronavirus pandemic outbreak and consequent lockdown.
“Jiska khayengein, usika gayengein, (Will sing the tune of the one who feeds us) ” Shrawan Das, a Kahar which belongs to the EBC, says in Darbhanga town while a number of other such voters in Berua village in Gaighat constituency in Muzaffarpur reel out central government schemes that have led them to affirm their support to the ruling alliance.
“The government gave us money, food and cooking gas cylinder. What else does one want,” one of them says. The RJD-led alliance ran an aggressive campaign against the ruling combine over issues like unemployment and “anti-incumbency” against Kumar for the first phase of polls where its ally CPI(ML) was also at its strongest, but the NDA believes that the impact of its welfare and development schemes, including airport and AIIMS in the backward Mithila, and changed demography will help it in many regions.
While there are mixed views about Nitish Kumar as people acknowledge his work and also express disappointment with his latest term at the same time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains a reason for their solid support to the ruling alliance. (PTI)
