Just at a time when the National Democratic Alliance(NDA) was surging towards a narrow victory in Bihar elections, theMahagathbandhan spearhead by young Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader TejashwiYadav was clawing its way back. The fierce contest was going down to the wire.
While NDA held the edge with counting expected to go intothe next day, there was good news trickling in for the BJP from elsewhere. Inthe bypoll held in twelve other states, the BJP made significant inroads. Theywon all the eight Gujarat assembly seats, six out of seven seats in UttarPradesh and also secured a majority in Madhya Pradesh. As results were pouringin, the party was holding the edge in States like Karnataka and Telangana.
While the saffron wave engulfed States fortifying the BJPstranglehold on States, the Bihar result became the cynosure of all eyes. In arare duel, the 31-year-old leader in Tejashwi was engaged in a see-saw battlewith the NDA, a team which boasts of stalwarts and seasoned campaigners likeNarendra Modi, Amit Shah and a battery of BJP leaders, besides Nitish Kumar andteam.
The close-finish reflects the reach and appeal of theyoung firebrand leader who almost single-handedly took on all Opposition, withlittle or no support from ally Congress. Probably his only decision whichstrategically failed was on the seat-sharing he agreed with Congress. While theRFD contested 144, Congress took 70 seats but was unable to deliver, a failurewhich proved decisive.
The BJP has proved a point and emerged stronger in Bihareven without having a credible leadership there. Modi's ability to swingelections has been clearly established, especially in States where the party isnot on a sound footing. The partnerships it entered in States have reapeddividends over time. However, Bihar is caught between the power play of BJP andthe issues facing the State.
The Tejashwi wave has not only over-shadowed BJP's marchbut has virtually taken the sheen off Nitish Kumar and his JDU and pushed themto the third spot. How did this change come about, and how did the leader enjoysuch a mass appeal? While the BJP attacked the RJD leader with jibes like'Jungle ke Yuvraj', Tejashwi on the other hand avoided engaging the Oppositionon personal attacks and continued to address critical issues in Bihar likeemployment, healthcare and education. His own 'maan ki baat' got an audience,and his voice found acceptance with people willing to listen. He addressed onan average 15 rallies a day, outpacing heavyweight campaigners like Modi andNitish.
The Bihar election could go either way and while partiesponder over the results much after they are declared, a new narrative willemerge. Tejashwi's leadership will inspire thousands of young leaders across,and it will give new hope for regional forces across the nation.
