The political landscape in Bihar is heating up as the election nears. Various political parties are actively working to consolidate their support base and attract voters. The NDA is set to use a new election slogan for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections: ‘Bihar, which has caught the pace of development…NDA Government Again.’ BJP sources say that the slogan will be officially unveiled by September 30th, but the underlying political strategy is readily apparent.
The NDA alliance will launch its campaign with the tagline “Bihar, which has caught the pace of development…NDA Government Again.” Some BJP leaders in Bihar, including Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary and Bihar in-charge Vinod Tawde, have already started promoting this message on social media, even though an official announcement is pending.
**245 LED-Equipped Campaign Vehicles Ready**
According to BJP insiders, the goal is to garner support from the state’s residents by emphasizing the development initiatives undertaken during the NDA’s tenure, specifically concerning infrastructure, education, good governance, job creation, and educational reforms. To further promote their development-focused message, the NDA has prepared 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 before September 30th, and will travel across all assembly constituencies in the state. They are equipped with modern technology, and will visit villages throughout the state, highlighting the Bihar government’s accomplishments and recent promises.
**Campaign Vehicles to Travel in Every Assembly Constituency**
BJP spokesperson Prabhakar Mishra said that, “Bihar has seen development accelerate, which is why the NDA government will return. The NDA will deploy campaign vehicles in every assembly constituency to promote the accomplishments and promises of the NDA government.” The BJP stated that the campaign vehicles will feature audio-visual presentations that highlight initiatives like 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 work as an election weapon. According to sources, the audio-visual presentations that will be shown on these campaign vehicles will highlight all the important projects of the Bihar and central governments. For example, the Bihar government will deposit Rs 10,000 into the accounts of women within the next few days in September.
On September 17, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar transferred Rs 5,000 to the accounts of 1.6 million workers. The Bihar government will also focus on its popular programs and promises, such as 1 crore jobs for young people, a Rs 1,000 allowance for all graduates, interest-free student credit cards, and Rs 10,000 for women.
**What is the JDU’s stance?**
While the BJP is preparing to make the NDA’s development model the central theme of its campaign with a new slogan and rath yatra, the JDU has not yet commented on the matter. Previously, the JDU has centered its election campaigns around the name of CM Nitish Kumar. This time, the election posters feature images of both PM Modi and CM Nitish, but not the Chief Minister’s name.
In April of this year, when there was uncertainty and debate over whether Nitish Kumar would remain Chief Minister, the JDU office displayed the new slogan, “25 to 30, Nitish again.” The JDU’s slogan in the 2020 elections was, “Why consider, Nitish Kumar is fine.” In the 2015 assembly elections, the JDU’s slogan was, “Bihar is prosperous, Nitish Kumar is there.” It will be interesting to see how the JDU reacts to the NDA’s new slogan. Is this slogan a well-considered element of future political strategy or simply a test for a political party?