In the lead-up to Bihar’s elections, the political discourse has been heavily influenced by the terms “sushasan” (good governance) and “jungle raj.” While the Janata Dal (United) under Nitish Kumar has championed the former, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and its allies, collectively known as the Mahagathbandhan, have often been on the defensive against allegations of the latter.
However, the Mahagathbandhan, which includes the Congress and Left parties, claims to have a strategy to address these concerns. According to sources within the alliance, their upcoming joint manifesto, slated for release after the Chhath Puja festivities, will emphasize key reforms in law and order and a more equitable approach to police recruitment. This is an effort to directly counter the BJP-led NDA’s campaign narrative.
While the Mahagathbandhan plans its joint manifesto, constituent parties like the CPI-ML (Liberation) will also release separate manifestos tailored to their specific voter bases. The CPI-ML (Liberation) is expected to highlight increased spending on public health, education, job creation, and improving living standards.
The alliance’s focus on law and order comes at a time when top NDA leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, have intensified their attacks, accusing the opposition of failing to deliver good governance and promising to hold them accountable for the past. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also pointed to his government’s efforts in establishing the rule of law over the past two decades, though the RJD was a partner in his government for parts of that period.
In response to these accusations, the Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial candidate, Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD, has questioned the validity of the ‘jungle raj’ claims, drawing parallels with incidents in other states, including the national capital, to challenge the narrative.
The term ‘jungle raj’ historically refers to a period marked by significant law and order issues and the dominance of certain groups, leading to widespread crime. Official government data indicates that between 1990 and 2005, Bihar witnessed a substantial number of murders, kidnappings, and caste-related violence incidents.