Farmers Movement Archive

Coalition circus in state keeps voters confused

PATNA: The fast developments in coalition politics just before the Bihar assembly from October 28 has taken many by surprise in state. Political observers feel the frequent alliance hoppings by political parties and leaders have created confusion among the voters, especially the young ones. While the advent of several smaller as well as new parties and alliance-hopping activities have given options to voters, it has also made decision-making difficult. For instance, LJP and JD(U) are partners of BJP at the Centre, but will contest against each other in Bihar. It is likely to confuse the NDA supporters in the constituencies where the two parties will face each other. Shaibal Gupta, a social scientist and founder member-secretary of Asian Development Research Institute in Patna, said, “It would certainly be confusing because earlier, we thought it might be bipolar. But that is not the case. A number of coalitions have emerged now, but we have to wait till the final candidates are announced.” He predicted one more round of new alliances taking place very soon. “Some people will go out of the parties while new people will join. So, we have to wait and watch. This is not a very amicable situation for the electors, especially young voters,” Shaibal said. Former principal of Patna College and political analyst, NK Choudhary, told this newspaper that there might be some confusion among voters as some of the turncoats would contest from their old seats but from a different party. “But it is also true that people would vote not for candidates but for the party, by keeping in mind the face of the leader. In Bihar election, there are three faces — CM Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Chirag Paswan,” he said. “The centrists have lost their original agenda, except a few points they talk here and there. This creates whole lot of confusion in people’s mind. For instance, some political parties earlier talked something else on farm bills, but now they have changed their views. Opportunism is at its best in politics and ideology has completely taken a back seat. Even a person with very few MLAs wants to be the CM for his own good and not for people’s welfare,” Choudhary said, adding that dynasty politics is practised across the country, except in a few parties where there is authoritarianism. Some experts opined that there is no confusion and the political fight is between JD(U), LJP and Mahagathbandhan. According to economist D M Diwakar, there is a triangular fight now between JD(U), LJP and the Mahagathbandhan. “BJP has kept its options open for both the JD(U) and LJP. The BJP votes may transfer to LJP instead of JD(U) as young Tejashwi is in the field and voters might find it convenient to vote for Chirag,” he said. Haridwar Shukla, formers head of political science department at Patna University, said it is not possible for the electors to keep a tab on everything happening in the political arena, but it is also a truth that people would vote on caste and religion. “The political parties are fielding their candidates based on caste, like Dalit and Yadav among others. No one is concerned about the socioeconomic issues. Caste is always the important factor in election and nothing has changed over all these years,” he said.

The Times of India

2020-10-06

Patna