How Bihar Election Has Become A Battle For Women's Faith

Ahead

of the high-stakes assembly election in Bihar, the political battlefield once again has women voters as the centre of gravity. Once seen as passive participants, the women of Bihar have evolved as the most courted and consequential bloc in the state’s fiercely fought elections, often seen as the victory forces behind 'Sushashan Babu' Nitish Kumar.Over the last two decades, Nitish Kumar has continued to draw his strongest backing from women voters in Bihar. This year too, women were seen in large numbers in Kumar's campaign rallies.

Women At The Core of NDA's Bihar Strategy?

Women voters have been at the core of the ruling National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) campaign in poll-bound Bihar. Leaders of the ruling alliance, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, have been emphasising at rallies, how the NDA government pulled Bihar out of "jungle raj" and empowered the women of the state. There has been a frequent mention of several schemes this election season, including free bicycles, free education for girls, increased pension for widows and the elderly, banning alcohol in the state, 50 per cent reservation for women in panchayats and urban local bodies, among others.

INDIA Bloc Competes With NDA For Women Voters

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-led Mahagathbandhan, in this year's election manifesto, promised cash for women under 'Mai Bahin Samman Yojana'. The Mahagathbandhan - comprising RJD, Congress, Mukesh Sahani-led VIP, and left parties- is hoping to unseat the ruling NDA. According to the opposition's manifesto, women of Bihar were promised Rs 2,500 per month as financial assistance starting December 1 and Rs 30,000 per year for the next five years. However, just two days before the first phase of voting, Tejashwi Yadav announced that the Mahagathbandhan will provide the annual financial aid of Rs 30,000 to women on January 14 (Makar Sankranti) if voted to power. The move is being seen as a bid to counter the ruling NDA's 'Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana'. Under the 'Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana', the ruling NDA government has already transferred Rs 10,000 into the accounts of over 1 crore women to start their own businesses.

Who Will Bihar Women Crown This Time?

The focus on women voters by both alliances underscores the importance the bloc holds in the Bihar assembly elections. In the 2020 Bihar assembly elections, the NDA won 60.5 per cent of the seats in the constituencies where women voters were more than men. Out of 243 total seats, 119 constituencies had more women than men on the voter list. Among those 119, the NDA secured 72 seats (60.5%), while the Mahagathbandhan (MGB) won 42 seats (35.3%).However, there is a twist which may worry the ruling NDA this time. According to the new data released after the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar, there has been a significant drop in the number of voters. The total electorate has decreased by approximately 38 lakh from 7.8 crore on January 1, 2025 to 7.4 crore in the final rolls. Male voters decreased by 3.8 per cent (15.5 lakh), while women voters faced a sharper decline of 6.1 per cent (22.7 lakh). The top five districts to have the maximum deletions are - Gopalganj, Madhubani, Purvi Champaran, Saran and Bhagalpur.It is speculated that the gender gap in the voter roll deletions may impact the political consequences this election season.