As the Bihar Assembly elections draw near, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has announced a significant promise aimed at bolstering support among women voters. In a direct counter to the ruling National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) outreach efforts targeting women, Yadav has pledged to provide an annual financial assistance of ₹30,000 to women if the Grand Alliance is voted into power.
Yadav unveiled the "Mai Bahin Yojana," under which the promised ₹30,000 would be disbursed to women on Makar Sankranti (January 14). This announcement is seen as a strategic move to sway women voters, who have consistently shown a higher turnout than men in previous elections. In the 2020 Assembly elections, 60% of women electors voted compared to 54% of men, highlighting the importance of this demographic in the Bihar political landscape.
In addition to the "Mai Bahin Yojana," Yadav has also focused on addressing the concerns of "Jeevika Didis," the community mobilizers under the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project (Jeevika). He has promised to make all contractual workers, including these "Jeevika Didis," permanent government employees if his alliance comes to power. Furthermore, he pledged a monthly salary of ₹30,000 for them, along with a waiver of interest on existing loans, two years of interest-free credit, an additional ₹2,000 monthly incentive for inter-departmental work, and ₹5 lakh life insurance coverage.
The NDA, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has also been actively courting women voters through various schemes and initiatives. The Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana provides ₹10,000 to eligible women beneficiaries to help them find a source of income. The NDA manifesto promises ₹200,000 to women entrepreneurs, in addition to the ₹10,000 already deposited in the accounts of 11 million women in the state. Moreover, the government has decided to provide ₹10,000 to eligible women beneficiaries to help them find a source of income. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has also been campaigning for NDA candidates, focusing on energizing the party's base and reaching out to women voters.
The competition for women's votes is intensifying, with both the Grand Alliance and the NDA offering a range of promises and initiatives. The INDIA bloc manifesto also promised a “Mai Bahin Maan Yojana under which women will receive Rs 2,500 per month for five years. The NDA has promised up to Rs 2 lakh in assistance to women under the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana, undertakes to make 1 crore women 'Lakhpati Didis', and also promises a Mission Crorepati under which women entrepreneurs will be made millionaires. Yadav has also announced the MAA (Makaan, Anna, Aamdani) and BETI (Benefit, Education, Training, Income) schemes, building on the Mahagathbandhan's earlier Mai Bahin Maan Yojna, which pledges monthly financial support of ₹2,500 to economically vulnerable women.
Political analysts note that women voters in Bihar embody the paradoxes of modern democracy, with their rise reflecting both the empowering logic of welfare and the continuing resilience of patriarchal political structures. Despite their significant turnout, women's representation in the Bihar Assembly remains low, highlighting the persistent gap between participation and power.
As the state heads to the polls on November 6 and 11, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 14, the impact of these promises on women voters will be a key factor in determining the outcome of the Bihar Assembly elections.
