Both NDA and INDIA are racing to woo marginalised groups with assembly polls fast approaching.
As Bihar waits for the Election Commission to announce the schedule for the assembly polls, rival political alliances in the state have drawn precise lessons from the 2020 verdict -- the closest ever fought in the state -- and minutely studied the 2022 Bihar caste survey findings.
This homework has led to the ruling National Democratic Alliance and the Opposition mega-bloc Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) reaching out to smaller castes in the state, especially those belonging to the Extremely Backward Class (EBC) and scheduled caste groups.
While the former, composed of 112 castes, forms 36.01 per cent of Bihar's 130 million population, the latter, which has 22 castes, comprises 19.65 per cent.
The 2022 survey listed 203 notified castes of which 196 are in the reserved category (Other Backward Class, or OBC, EBC, scheduled caste, and scheduled tribe, or ST).
The voting behaviour of these castes is going to be crucial in determining the outcome of several seats.
In 2020, victory and defeat in 20 per cent of Bihar's 243 seats was decided by a margin of less than 2.5 per cent.
Overall, a mere 12,768 votes of the total 41.43 million polled separated winners and losers in the three-phase elections.
According to Congress strategists, the party, led by Rahul Gandhi, has resisted the Rashtriya Janata Dal's projection of Tejashwi Yadav as the INDIA bloc's chief ministerial candidate -- a signal to smaller castes among the EBCs and scheduled castes that their aspirations would be honoured in seat allocations, and the alliance will not be 'Muslim-Yadav' or 'MY' dominated.
Under state unit in-charge Krishna Allavuru, the Congress is also reaching out to the Ramdasia-Charmakar caste, which is in the scheduled caste list and accounts for 5.2 per cent of Bihar's population.
It had supported the Congress during former deputy prime minister Jagjivan Ram's heyday, but has since gravitated towards the socialists and later, the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal-United.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), led by Dipankar Bhattacharya, has plans to field 'scheme workers' -- those who take government schemes to marginalised communities.
The NDA government has watched the Opposition's moves closely. Over the past few months, it has taken steps to consolidate its support among the EBCs, scheduled castes and women, and also reached out to the youth.
At 32.5 per cent, Bihar has the highest percentage of 'Gen Z' population.
On September 20, 2025, Kumar announced a one-time allowance of Rs 25,000 for purchasing tablets for the 10,000-plus 'vikas mitras' -- they work in villages to ensure benefits of government schemes are reaching SCs and STs.
The government will also increase their transportation and stationary allowances.
It further announced plans to purchase smartphones for 30,000 shiksha sevaks and talimi markaz, who work among children of Mahadalits, minority and EBC communities to ensure school attendance.
On April 14, Dr B R Ambedkar's birth anniversary, Kumar launched the Bhimrao Ambedkar Comprehensive Service Campaign, under which special camps were organised in nearly 60,000 Dalit settlements for last-mile coverage of welfare schemes.
Between April 14 and June 25, the government received a total of 162,174 applications for admission of children from Dalit communities into schools, of which 95.4 per cent were processed.
Additionally, government officials said there is a high rate of processing of applications for Anganwadi centres (91.62 per cent of all applications received); Ayushman health cards (85.54 per cent); rural employment guarantee job cards (81.45 per cent); Jeevika self-help groups (79.04 per cent); and Jan Dhan-related services in the Dalit settlements.
The NDA government has also stepped up its outreach to women -- a core support base for the JD-U chief since at least 2010.
Last month, Kumar announced the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana, under which one woman from every family will get Rs 10,000 as the first instalment to start a small business of her choice.
The scheme, managed by the rural development department, is set to begin disbursement in September through direct bank transfers.
This new scheme has generated quite a buzz. Anachala Devi (name changed), a 52-year-old Jeevika worker from north Bihar's Muzaffarpur, told Business Standard: "We have been asked to fill out forms for our members to receive Rs 10,000 being offered by the government.
This has become the hot topic of discussion in the village and in almost every self-help group (SHG)."
According to Jeevika's annual report for 2023-2024 (FY24), Bihar has 1.05 million SHGs, 70,812 village organisations and 1,669 cluster-level federations -- a massive network the scheme is expected to tap into.
Jeevika, Bihar's flagship programme for SHGs, has more than 14 million women, or 'Jeevika Didis' associated with it.
Under the Drone Didi Yojana, the government provides 80 per cent subsidy (up to Rs 8 lakh) for purchasing drones, while the remaining Rs 2 lakh is arranged through Jeevika groups.
The wooing doesn't stop here. The Kumar-led regime has initiated steps to set up women's banks in districts where there are 3,0000 or more Jeevika Didis.
These will provide women with low-interest loans, entrepreneurship guidance, and training.
On September 2, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Bihar Rajya Jeevika Nidhi Saakh Sahkari Sangh Limited, and in June, Kumar's government had also slashed interest rates on Jeevika loans above Rs 3 lakh to 7 per cent from 10 per cent.
Political observers see Kumar's moves as a desperate attempt to shore up his waning popularity.
D M Diwakar, former director of the A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies, Patna, said: "Notice that the NDA has not projected him as the CM face of the alliance yet. By directly targeting women with cash incentives, he is trying to consolidate his core voter base and give a message to the alliance."
Diwakar said the people of Bihar are smart and can see through these gimmicks.
However, Kumar is not the only one counting on women-centric announcements.
Tejashwi Yadav has pledged that if elected, an RJD-led government will transfer Rs 2,500 every month into women's bank accounts under the Mai-Bahin Samman Yojana, and will also launch the Beti (Benefit Education Training Income) Samman Yojana to support girls' education.
The Congress, too, has unveiled a similar scheme called the Mai Behan Man Yojana.
Meanwhile, Kumar's fresh sops continue. Just last month, he declared 125 units of free electricity per household starting August 1, a move that could benefit 16.7 million consumers.
The government has also decided to enhance the remuneration of mukhiyas and sarpanchs, and increase the monthly pension for the elderly, disabled persons, and widows to Rs 1,100 from Rs 400.
By all accounts, the battle for Bihar is shaping up to be a no-stop contest for sops.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
