NDA poised for landslide under CM Nitish and PM Modi

The NDA’s united front before the electorate, along with the separate campaign responsibilities taken up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in different regions, worked particularly well for the BJP.The political chemistry displayed by Modi and Kumar — both opposed to dynastic politics — succeeded in winning the trust of women voters in particular, and the wider electorate in general, on the promise of providing sushasan (good governance). After the first round of polling, Nitish Kumar led campaigning in areas where the BJP and other allies were weaker, continuing his efforts even in heavy rain and travelling by road, earning widespread voter appreciation.By portraying the RJD’s “Jungle Raj” as a stigma and warning of its possible return if the NDA was not voted in, NDA leaders effectively spread a fear factor that delivered visible gains.“Bihar people don’t want to fall in Jungle Raj. The RJD’s clips of songs featuring katta and others also did significant damage to the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan poll,” remarked many of Bihar’s poll observers.One of the key factors tilting the election in favour of the NDA has been the massive turnout of women voters. More than 2.5 crore women cast their votes outnumbering male voters, following the NDA’s announcement of a significant financial support scheme of Rs 10,000 to be deposited into the accounts of over 1.5 crore women.An incident involving alleged verbal abuse directed at the Prime Minister’s mother during a rally, along with Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on the Chhatha, drew attention during the campaign and became a focus for NDA leaders.Meanwhile, the contentious SIR exercise — which the opposition alleges was unconstitutional and amounted to voter suppression, though it reportedly removed invalid and deceased entries from the electoral rolls — ultimately helped the NDA stage a strong comeback.



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