With days left for Bihar to head to the polls, another survey has shed light on voters’ preferences on who should lead them for the next five years. A recent C-Voters survey has revealed that current Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s footing may not be as strong as expected.
A maximum of 36 percent of people considered former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav as a suitable candidate for the post of Chief Minister, while only 16 percent picked Nitish Kumar.
However, the surprising element was the popularity of Jan Suraj founder Prashant Kishor. The survey found that 23 per cent of Bihari voters want Kishor to be their next chief. The other choices, Chirag Paswan, got the support of just 10 per cent, while Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary won the support of seven per cent.
The survey conducted over the span of the last few months revealed that 58 per cent were satisfied with Nitish’s performance in February, while it was 60 per cent in June. In the September survey, 61 per cent expressed satisfaction with the Nitish government. Despite this, not many see him as the next chief minister.
What favours Tejashwi?
While survey reports over the last few days offer contradictory reports, the C-Voter survey reveals that Tejashwi gained from his stance on the OBC-EBC reservation issue. The RJD chief has been vocal about getting seats reserved for the OBC-EBC community in state and Parliament elections, earning the community’s support. The Congress has increased its base among SCs and EBCs (Chamar, Musahar, Mallah) with the help of the caste census.
There is also an anti-incumbency wave against the Nitish government. His image and governance credibility are being affected not just by the anti-incumbency wave but also by health problems, corruption, and deteriorating law and order. Migration and unemployment are attracting young voters and first-time voters towards the Mahagadbandhan.
Other factors include the consolidation of Muslims and Yadavs. The issue of "vote theft" has weakened PM Modi's appeal, and schemes like Mai-Behan Man Yojana and free electricity are driving women voters towards the Grand Alliance.
Jan Suraj’s performance
Jan Suraj has managed to dent the BJP's vote bank, which includes the upper castes and Baniyas. The party is also making inroads among upper caste voters in JDU strongholds.
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