The Opposition Grand Alliance has unveiled its election manifesto for Bihar, making significant promises including a government job for every family within 20 days of coming to power, permanent employment for women in self-help groups and contractual workers within 20 months, and monthly financial aid for women. The manifesto, titled ‘Bihar Ka Tejashwi Pran’ (Bihar’s Tejashwi Resolve), was released by the alliance’s chief ministerial face, Tejashwi Yadav. It also proposes to scrap the central waqf law and exempt toddy from prohibition, aiming to focus on jobs, youth, women, extremely backward classes, and Muslims. A key pledge is the removal of the 50% reservation cap if the INDIA bloc wins the upcoming elections.
Tejashwi Yadav emphasized the pragmatic nature of these promises, stating his commitment to fulfilling them even at a personal cost. The alliance aims to unseat Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is seeking a fifth term. While the manifesto release was attended by key alliance partners, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was notably absent. Yadav criticized Kumar, calling him a “puppet” of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and questioning the BJP’s commitment to him as Chief Minister post-elections.
The NDA, however, dismissed the manifesto as a “bunch of lies,” with Union minister Nityanand Rai accusing Yadav of selling dreams and attempting to re-establish “jungle raj.”
Further details of the manifesto include providing permanent status and interest waivers for ‘Jeevika didis’ (women in self-help groups) and contractual workers, enacting a new law to prevent exam paper leaks, and introducing the ‘Mai-Behen Yojana’ to provide ₹2,500 monthly to financially weak women. The alliance also promised subsidized LPG cylinders, free electricity up to 200 units per household, universal healthcare coverage, and enhanced farmer support, including guaranteed minimum support prices and the restoration of the APMC Act. Plans are in place to make Bihar crime-free through stricter policing and anti-communal initiatives, alongside industrial incentives to curb youth migration.
The manifesto also outlines a commitment to implement a law for the protection of extremely backward classes, similar to the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Additionally, it promises to send 300 students from SC/ST communities abroad for higher education annually and to hand over temples dedicated to Lord Buddha in Bodh Gaya to the Buddhist community. The alliance intends to increase reservations for EBCs, Dalits, and tribals in local bodies and has pledged to develop IT parks, SEZs, dairy and agro-based industries, an education city, and five new expressways.
The release was attended by Congress leader Pawan Khera, Vikassheel Insaan Party chief Mukesh Sahani, and CPI(Marxist Leninist) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya. Yadav referred to the document as his personal “pran patra” (resolve document), detailing a five-year plan to tackle unemployment, migration, and lawlessness, issues he attributes to the current NDA government.
Responding to queries about the financial implications of these promises, Yadav stated that a detailed blueprint would be released soon, drawing parallels to his previous promise of creating 10 lakh government jobs. Mukesh Sahani echoed the commitment to a “new Bihar” with “jobs, justice and joy for every home.” The NDA’s Chirag Paswan criticized the manifesto, questioning the sincerity of promises from a party that doesn’t expect to win and urging Tejashwi Yadav to address the root causes of migration during his family’s rule.