As Bihar votes in the second phase of polling to elect a new Assembly, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is plagued by the rising traction for the challenger, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)’s Tejaswi Yadav’s promise of 10 lakh jobs for the youth, and former alliance partner, Chirag Paswan of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) undercutting its popular vote. Paswan has overtly claimed the support of the BJP in undermining Nitish Kumar, although he has formally parted ways with the NDA in Bihar, while his party continues to be part of the ruling alliance at the Centre. In an interview to BusinessLine , Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi rubbished this narrative as a “creation of the English media” and claimed that there is actually a pro-incumbency wave in favour of the development record of the NDA in Bihar. Excerpts from the interview:

Modiji, your strategy of backing Chirag Paswan to undercut Nitish Kumar seems to have backfired…

This is utter nonsense. The fact is that the BJP’s strike rate (as compared to Nitish Kumar) has always been better. But that is immaterial because if our alliance partner gets less seats, how does the Government get formed, how would it be stable? How does it help the BJP? What is our interest in promoting Chirag Paswan against the JD(U)? Everyone, from Amit Shah downward, has denied hundreds of times that we have ever supported such a tactic. The BJP does not benefit from either directly or indirectly supporting Chirag Paswan. He is doing his own politics but the BJP has nothing to do with it.

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Tejaswi Yadav is drawing huge crowds. His targeting of Nitish Kumar for unemployment and poll plank of 10 lakh jobs seems to be gaining traction.

Unemployment is not an issue in Bihar. This is the creation of the English media. People vote on the NDA’s proven record of delivery ― electricity, water, roads, law and order, development. And no one is highlighting the one thing that is the game-changer in this election ― nine crore families have received 40 kg ration. Over 2.38 lakh women have received ₹1,500 every month. A false media narrative is being built that Nitish Kumar is going down and he is leaning on (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi to win. We believe that there is a strong pro-incumbency wave in favour of NDA. Tejaswi is getting crowds because his voter is aggressive. His voter is Muslim and Yadav and that also has its own implications in terms of polarisation. Lalu Yadav was an even bigger crowd puller. But theirs is a limited crowd and is not representative of the whole population. The youth is divided into caste and regional issues. Unemployment will not decide voting patterns. During our tenure, every village has electricity for 22 hours at least. The state highways have been built, we have built 31 engineering colleges. Tejaswi is saying that he will give 10 lakh jobs, but how will he give salaries? We have managed in a very difficult economic situation so far. How will they manage after November? What is their credibility, what is their performance and track record?

Are you suggesting that if the Opposition coalition comes to power, they will not get the same support from the Centre like you did?

I am not suggesting anything of the kind, I’m only giving an example against a rhetorical promise. The economic situation has been managed with administrative skill and experience. The RJD is not exactly famous of its governance record. The people are not fools that they will believe anything that Tejaswi Yadav says, especially in the light of their dismal track record. Five chairmen of the Bihar Public Service Commission, an institution that creates jobs, have gone to jail in their tenures. How would people believe their promise of giving jobs? In contrast, our Government managed to give foodgrain and cash worth ₹35,000 crore through Direct Benefit Transfer. There is not a single family in Bihar that has not been benefitted. And you’re saying these people will vote for the RJD and the Congress?

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Your campaign has been struck by Covid-19. Almost every leader who has gone to Bihar is down with symptoms. How are you managing?

We have a battery of leaders. If one falls sick, the others take over. I had Covid-19, others took over. People in the Opposition hide their illness. There’s another thing I’ll tell you ― here in Bihar, no one is scared of Covid-19. The poor have immunity against the virus. In Maharashtra and Gujarat people have money, they belong to middle class or upper middle class. But the poor in Bihar have got immunity against Covid-19. We are doing 1.25 lakh tests every day. The cases had risen quite a bit in July-August, but right now, we are able to manage. The elections will be over soon.

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