The remarkable 64.46 percent voter turnout in the first phase of the Bihar elections, held across 121 constituencies, reflects the determination of voters to establish a stable and lasting government in the state. Although the second phase of polling is scheduled for November 11th, the initial round has already demonstrated that the people of Bihar are restless and eager to make a decisive choice. However, the first phase took place amid serious allegations of vote manipulation raised by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The true impact of these claims on the electorate will become clear only on November 14th, when the votes are counted. Gandhi’s allegations hold significant implications not only for the Election Commission of India but also for voters nationwide, as the right to vote—hard-won through years of struggle—remains one of the most sacred pillars of Indian democracy.
Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi waged a fierce struggle against the British to achieve this right. Bapu’s struggle was not only to liberate himself from British rule but also to instill a sense of self-respect among the common and oppressed people of India. This respect could only be achieved by Indian citizens when they attained complete political independence. Therefore, the Indian Constitution granted this right to one vote equally to all Indians, allowing every citizen of independent India to become self-reliant and form a government of their choice. India is the most diverse country in the world, so to instill a sense of unity within this diversity, all adult citizens were granted the right to one vote without any prejudice. These prejudices could have been based on caste, religion, or gender.
Therefore, in every election, we realize the value of one vote, because ultimately, the common man is the arbiter of democracy’s destiny. It is heartening that in the Bihar Assembly elections, discussions about the sufferings of the common man in Bihar are so prevalent that every political party is forced to take cognizance of them. If every political party is forced to address issues like education, health, and migration instead of mere rhetoric, we would call it a victory for democracy, because often, during elections, issues are floated that have no direct bearing on the problems of the common man. Therefore, while opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav is talking about education, medicine, and income, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself is also doing the same on behalf of the ruling NDA. This is like a gift for the alert and intelligent voters of Bihar.
Now, it remains to be seen how voters on the ground respond to this. The main contest in Bihar is between two alliances: the NDA (comprising the BJP) and the Grand Alliance (comprising the Congress). Therefore, on November 14th, we may see that the public has given their full support and affection to one of the alliances. I am not proclaiming victory or defeat here, but rather explaining what the increased voter turnout can mean. In previous years, the public has cast a decisive vote in every state where elections have been held, but there is a catch: victory or defeat has been decided by a very small margin in the majority of assembly seats. For example, in a state like Haryana, the BJP regained power with a margin of only 22,000 votes.
Previously, in Bihar itself, the margin in the 2020 elections was only 12,000 votes, and the BJP comfortably secured a majority there. From this, we can imagine how valuable a vote can be in a democracy. We cannot even compare Bihar to other states, because the history of this state itself holds the glorious story of India. It is a different matter that at present, this state is considered one of the poorest states in the country. Therefore, it is the duty of political parties to respect this heritage and give new dimensions to the politics here. However, we are seeing that the language of politicians is continuously deteriorating, sometimes even reaching the level of street-level. In today’s voting, the fate of 16 ministers of the Nitish Kumar government will be sealed in EVM machines. Furthermore, the fate of opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav will also be sealed in EVM machines by the general public. If any message can be drawn from the first phase of voting, it is that the people of the state are very conscious of their rights. It’s also worth noting that this election is taking place after the Election Commission’s special voter list revision in Bihar, in which the names of millions of Bihari voters were deleted. It remains to be seen what impact this will have on Bihar politics. It will also be interesting to see how the BJP and its allies, who are describing the rule of Rashtriya Janata Dal President Lalu Prasad Yadav from 1990 to 2005 as “jungle raj,” will impact the people of Bihar. However, it is certain that Bihar’s younger generation is currently enraged and is listening intently to the statements of politicians on both sides.
