BJP's Strategic Campaign to Retain Migrant Voters During Bihar Assembly Elections

New Delhi:

The Bharatiya Janata Party has initiated a comprehensive door-to-door campaign as Bihar approaches its two-phase Assembly elections scheduled for November 6 and November 11. This strategic effort aims to convince migrant workers returning home for Chhath Puja to extend their stay in order to participate in the electoral process.

Official government statistics reveal that approximately 45.78 lakh Bihar residents are employed in other states, with an additional 2.17 lakh working abroad. These 4.8 million-plus migrants typically return home for the Chhath festival but face a significant dilemma: whether to remain an extra week to vote in the first phase on November 6 or return promptly to their workplaces to avoid financial hardship.

BJP insiders informed NDTV that the party has instructed its booth-level organizations to commence door-to-door outreach within 48 hours following the conclusion of Chhath festivities. These efforts specifically target families of migrant workers to persuade them to extend their stay. "While asking migrants to remain for nine additional days after Chhath for the first phase of voting presents a considerable challenge, we are working to address their concerns. Our objective extends beyond securing their votes to encouraging broader participation in the democratic process," they explained.

Reports indicate that in certain constituencies, local BJP representatives are engaging with employers of migrant workers outside Bihar and organizing post-election transportation arrangements. The campaign particularly emphasizes districts with significant out-migration patterns, including East Champaran (6.14 lakh), Patna (5.68 lakh), Siwan (5.48 lakh), Muzaffarpur (4.31 lakh), and Darbhanga (4.3 lakh).

For the BJP, maintaining engagement with these migrant voters, predominantly from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, represents a crucial factor in closely contested electoral districts. Party strategists believe this door-to-door initiative will effectively transform a cultural homecoming into a strategically timed electoral advantage.