NDA Strategists Feel Rahul’s ‘Vote Chori’ Had No Bihar Impact
Opposition is doing what they always do, spreading misinformation and running propaganda
New Delhi: Unfazed by the I.N.D.I.A. bloc’s “vote chori” campaign against the BJP, the ruling alliance remains confident of retaining power in Bihar. The BJP-led NDA’s “star campaigner,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will visit the poll-bound state on Monday, where he is expected to address a rally at Sisabari in Purnia. He will also inaugurate the Purnia airport and flag off the Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat trains, along with launching other development projects. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit the state next week.
According to NDA poll strategists, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “vote chori” campaign and the Opposition’s stance on S.I.R. have “not made any major impact” on the ground. They argue that the absence of “organic” protests against the opposition’s claims and the visible benefits of state and central government schemes are reasons why the campaign has failed to gain traction. Missing names from the voter list, they noted, also mean missing out on welfare schemes and monthly doles, further undermining the opposition’s allegations.
Though there were concerns that the NDA’s backward caste vote base might be affected, feedback from the ground, strategists said, suggests that the opposition’s campaign has failed to make the “desired impact.”
A senior BJP leader and key election strategist stated that Bihar’s politically astute voters have not staged even a single “organic protest” against missing names in the revised voter list or the “vote chori” allegations.
“If your name is missing, it means you are not a resident of the area and therefore not eligible for government benefits. Do you think, if there were so much vote chori as alleged by Rahul Gandhi, people would have kept silent? There would have been spontaneous protests,” the leader said. He added that the Rahul Gandhi-led campaign has created rifts within the Opposition bloc.
The campaign is said to have angered the RJD, which is trying to project Tejashwi Yadav as the Opposition’s face, something the Congress has not yet agreed to. Several RJD leaders also reportedly feel that Gandhi’s personal attacks on Prime Minister Modi, as well as the controversy surrounding his late mother, have only weakened the Opposition’s prospects.
While acknowledging that some concern remains in rural areas, the BJP leader said party cadres have been reaching out to voters with “facts,” including how S.I.R. will weed out “illegal voters” allegedly “snatching” benefits meant for Bihar residents. NDA cadres have been coordinating with sarpanchs and local leaders to resolve grievances and assist households. Recent schemes announced by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, especially those aimed at women, have further strengthened the NDA’s chances, he added.
“Opposition is doing what they always do, spreading misinformation and running propaganda. But people know exactly what Nitish ji has been doing for them, and they will again vote for Nitish ji and the NDA,” said JD(U) national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad. He noted that JD(U) cadres have also been engaging with voters to address complaints about deleted or missing names.
