Bihar's Women Voters: The Decisive Force in Assembly Elections Between NDA's Cash Transfers and Opposition's Land Rights

Nitish Kumar has established himself as a committed advocate for women's electoral support over many years.

In Bihar's heartland, as dusk settles over verdant fields, a significant transformation is unfolding in women's political participation. The upcoming Assembly elections represent not merely a contest between political parties but a clash of ideological approaches to women's empowerment and welfare. This electoral battle has become Bihar's Mahabharat for the 'mahila' vote.

In what appeared to be both coincidence and strategic competition, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi arrived in Patna and Motihari on Friday—the same day Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana via videoconference from Delhi.

The political landscape suddenly became saturated with pledges targeting Bihar's women voters. These developments have spotlighted one of contemporary Bihar's most critical issues: female empowerment within a traditionally patriarchal society.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP's primary vote-getter, has introduced a direct cash transfer program. The Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana (Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's initiative) offers immediate financial assistance: Rs 10,000 for 75 lakh women, a substantial investment in this economically challenged state.

This approach circumvents the complex path of structural reforms in favor of direct financial intervention, wagering that tangible immediate benefits outweigh long-term promises. Political analysts are calling this initiative a potential "game-changer," drawing parallels to similar successful schemes in Madhya Pradesh (Ladli Behna) and Maharashtra (Ladki Bahin Yojana) that yielded significant electoral advantages.

During his address, PM Modi stated, "Nitish Kumar and I are two brothers of the women of Bihar and we are working together to ensure their prosperity and dignity." He described the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana as part of a comprehensive vision for women's economic independence.

"The Rs 10,000 being given at the beginning will act as 'seed money'. With its proper use, if the work progresses well, additional assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh can be given," the Prime Minister explained.

PM Modi encouraged women to utilize this seed capital for entrepreneurial ventures and self-employment initiatives. "This scheme is not merely a transfer of money, but a powerful means to fulfil the dreams of Bihar's women. It will raise the standard of living by allowing women to start enterprises of their choice in agriculture, animal husbandry, handicrafts, tailoring, weaving and small businesses," he elaborated.

"Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to launch the Jeevika Nidhi Credit Cooperative Society. The strength of this system will now be integrated with the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, making the scheme effective across Bihar from its very inception," the Prime Minister added, emphasizing that the program aims to make "women 'atmanirbhar' (self-reliant) and promoting empowerment through self-employment and sustainable livelihood opportunities."

Nitish Kumar, a veteran in Bihar's political arena, has cultivated women's support through consistent policy implementation rather than grand gestures. His strategic initiatives include providing bicycles to schoolgirls, transforming education access into visible empowerment. He reserved 50 percent of local governance seats for women, integrating them into the democratic process. Perhaps most notably, he implemented statewide alcohol prohibition, a policy criticized for its economic impact yet appreciated in households where it reduced domestic violence and financial instability.

These consistent policies have fostered a strong connection with women voters, reshaping Bihar's traditionally male-dominated political narrative. Recent pre-election surveys indicate Nitish Kumar holds a 32 percent advantage over RJD's Tejashwi Yadav among women voters—a remarkable achievement after two decades in office.

The Nitish Kumar-Narendra Modi alliance has proven highly effective across multiple elections. Female voter participation has increased substantially, driving higher turnouts that have generally resulted in NDA victories in both Assembly and parliamentary elections in Bihar. The sole exception was the 2015 Assembly election when Nitish Kumar temporarily allied with RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Priyanka Gandhi's approach represents a different strategic vision. At Patna's Sadaqat Ashram, she announced land allocations of three to five decimals for landless families, with legal titles specifically granted to women. In Motihari, she established an immediate connection by beginning her address in Bhojpuri: "Ka haal ba?" (How are things with you?), generating enthusiastic audience response. She followed with the assertion, "The time has come to change the 'haal'."

Representing the Congress and the Mahagathbandhan alliance, Gandhi has countered the NDA's financial incentives with a focus on land ownership. Her promise to provide women with legal land titles proposes a fundamental shift in empowerment—one based on property rights and inheritance rather than consumer purchasing power, particularly significant in a state where land ownership remains the ultimate marker of social status and economic stability.

During her inaugural public rally in Patna, Gandhi questioned the timing of the Mukyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana. "The elections are approaching and we are hardly a month away. They announced they will give you Rs 10,000 each. Who has been in government for the last 20 years? Why didn't they give you Rs 10,000 for the past 20 years? They did not tell you that you will receive this amount every month."

"Do you know who has been in power in Bihar for the last 20 years?" she asked, prompting the crowd's response: "Those who steal votes."

Gandhi alleged that the BJP's primary focus has been electoral victory and power retention. "The BJP has been raising caste and religious divides and the bogey of infiltrators. Now, realizing that the old tricks do not work, it has resorted to vote theft," she claimed.

"Our women are quite smart. So I suggest you take all the money from the government, which has opened its coffers. But, on the day of the poll, vote for those who really think of improving your lives and not remember you only at the time of elections. Mothers and sisters must teach them (the NDA) a lesson in the upcoming elections," she added.

Political observers note that Gandhi might have strengthened her impact by appearing alongside female leaders from coalition partners like RJD's Rabri Devi or Misa Bharati. Such collaborative appearances could enhance vote transfer dynamics within the Mahagathbandhan alliance, following the model demonstrated by her brother Rahul Gandhi, who conducted the Voter Adhikar Yatra alongside Tejashwi Yadav and CPI(ML)'s Dipankar Bhattacharya.

The forthcoming elections present Bihar's women with a choice between competing philosophies of empowerment. Will they favor Nitish Kumar's gradual, consistent approach to women's empowerment built over decades? Nisha, a 32-year-old artisan from Madhubani's Ramnagar village, observed: "Nitish ji has made Bihari women 'swavlambhi' (economically independent) in a silent revolution. Despite his health concerns, he will reap the blessings of, and sympathy from, women from all castes, across the state."

Or will women embrace the Mahagathbandhan and Priyanka Gandhi's vision offering more foundational but less immediate structural change? In this contest between immediate benefits and long-term transformation, Bihar's women—an increasingly influential electoral force—will determine not just the next government but potentially a new political direction for the state.