Bihar Elections: NDA's Winning Formula - Women's Empowerment, Infrastructure, and Good Governance

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The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has emerged victorious in the Bihar elections, thanks to a well-crafted campaign that focused on three key aspects: women's empowerment, infrastructure development, and good governance. The NDA's strategy paid off, with women making up a significant portion of the electorate, accounting for 35.14 million votes out of a total of 74.51 million. The NDA's campaign highlighted the progress made in women's empowerment under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The government's initiatives, such as the free cycle scheme for schoolgirls, scholarships for girl students from disadvantaged sections, and economic empowerment of over 13 million self-help group members, resonated with women voters. The NDA also increased the monthly allowance for widows, senior citizens, and physically disabled individuals from ₹400 to ₹1,100. Infrastructure development was another key plank of the NDA's campaign. The government highlighted its success in revamping the state's infrastructure, including the completion of several bridges over the Ganga, a four-lane highway connecting Patna to Gaya, and partial completion of the Metro rail network in Patna. The NDA also allocated over ₹10,000 crore for Kosi river management and implemented a scheme providing up to 125 units of free power to households. The NDA's campaign was also successful in portraying itself as a champion of good governance. The government highlighted its track record of delivering pre-poll sops, including a ₹10,000 cash transfer to 14.1 million women under the Mukhyamantri Rojgar Yojana. Political analysts attribute the NDA's victory to its ability to connect with women voters. "It's a classic example of how women-led development can lead to women-led voting, which may be caste and religion neutral," said NK Choudhary, a political analyst. The NDA's success in Bihar has been hailed as a referendum on the development agenda, with voters opting for continuity and stability over promises of jobs and prohibition. The Grand Alliance, on the other hand, struggled to recover from its track record of poor governance during its rule in the state between 1990 and 2005.