Bihar Voted For Good Governance

By Dipin Damodharan

The thumping victory of Nitish Kumar led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) in the Bihar State Assembly elections stamped a new era in the shady governance history of the traditionally backward Indian state. After five years of splendid rule, the NDA, this comprises JD (U) –BJP in the state, able to stay in the power corridors of Bihar with a whopping majority. In the 243 member assembly, JD (U) –BJP alliance bagged 206 and their main rival RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) –LJP (Lok Janashakti Party) combine won only 25 seats.

According to political experts the corruption free good governance of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar marked the victory of NDA. India’s oldest national party Indian National Congress got only four seats, showing a trend that the party has little relevance in the state. For understanding the historical electoral victory of JD (U)-BJP alliance we have to rope in the socio-political atmosphere that existed in Bihar five years ago.

When Nitish Kumar came to power in 2005, Bihar was a poverty-stricken economically and socially backward state. The caste used to dominate every sphere of the society. The 15 year rule by RJD leader Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi actually put down the state with pot-holed roads, crumbling infrastructure, schools with no education, government hospitals with no doctors and so on. A flood of massive corruption allegations against these leaders had voiced by many social activists then. The state was considered as a fully functional less one with the worst law and order condition. Kidnapping was the most profitable business in Bihar, irrespective of the economic or caste divisions common man became the daily victims. At this stage, Nitish Kumar, a new chief minister with a new vision entered into the seen. With five years of extra ordinary painstaking activities across the nook and corner of Bihar he has changed the headline of the dark state.

In order to order the law and order situation, he ensured that there should be no political interference or any sort of their influence in the criminal cases. H e also concentrated on the speedy prosecution of the criminals by establishing fast track courts. Including feudal landlords 54,000 criminals are now in Jail. The crime rate of Bihar has climbed down and the kidnapping businesses also fall down drastically. Also, Nitish Kumar appointed more than one lakh school teachers to provide proper education to Bihari children. He is projected as a man of development.

Through this magnificent victory Nitish Kumar has transcended the caste based political calculations in Bihar, which Lalu Prasad Yadav had used to play, to a development oriented one. Now he is considered as one of the most uncorrupted chief ministers of India.

The caste-driven Lalu Yadav’s RJD has shrunk into 22 seats. Experts observed that the verdict is an indication about the dusk of Lalu Yadav in Bihar politics.  However the real gainer is the Hindu nationalist BJP (Bharateeya Janata Party). Despite all calculations of political pundits, they alone bagged 91 seats, a significant gain from its 55 of last time.

The Bihar election result once again underlines that if someone shows the courage to lead a corruption-free, people oriented government then the masses would be with him. Yes, Bihar has voted for good governance. Nitish Kumar sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the second consecutive term on Friday (Nov 26, 2010), with a lot of expectations from all strata of society. Let the people of Bihar wait another five years to experience his miracle.

Dipin Damodharan is a Journalist based in Kerala. He is reachable on dipinbharath@gmail.com