Nitish Kumar’s new tricks to woo voters

Ahead of the crucial Assembly polls in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has laid out robust baits to catch the depreciating attention of voters, who are to decide the fate of his political career in just a few weeks from now.

The Bihar government recently declared pay-scale based salary for it’s over 4 lakh contractual teachers effective from 1st August, even as the state continues to jostle with fake degree holders, resigning from teaching jobs. This move is expected to raise the financial burden on state exchequer to the tune of around Rs. 3,000 crore every year. The pay scale is set at Rs. 5,500-20,000 for contractual employees, including librarians with teachers now being eligible for a three per cent salary hike every three years.

Following the scarcity of doctors in state health facilities, the government also approved the much delayed extension in retirement age of doctors from 65 to 67 years. However, the delay in arriving at a decision on superannuating doctors which was being demanded since December last year has led to the retirement of at least 200 doctors, according to Dr. Ajay Kumar, General secretary of the Bihar Superannuated Doctors Association (BSDA).

How far these strategies, attempted at seasoning the election atmosphere, are going to work for Nitish Kumar, who joined hands with his past adversary and arch rival Lalu Yadav, synonymous with the “dark age” enveloping Bihar, is only a matter of time for all to see.

It is said that women voters had come out in great numbers to vote for Nitish Kumar way back in 2010 when BJP-JD (U) had won the Bihar elections, after the Bihar Panchayati Raj Act of 2006 providing 50 per cent reservation to women in every Gram Panchayat. Over the years, Nitish has strengthened his loyal voters by adding reservations for women in cooperative societies, police force, and in urban local bodies, aiming to get them to vote en block in his favour.

However, the discouraging factor that will prevent women voters from being Nitish’s trump card for ensuring a desperate win in the polls, is his alliance with Lalu Yadav.

People of Bihar, and most importantly women have not forgotten the lawlessness and jungle raj during Lalu’s reign spanning over one and a half decade. With reports of kidnapping, rape, robbery and murder on a daily basis, people helplessly watched how Lalu Yadav left no stone unturned in making Bihar a haven for criminals. Notwithstanding his loud claims of leading Bihar towards development and providing “protection from communal forces”, Nitish’s act of joining forces with Lalu, is nothing but a futile attempt at saving his own chair.
src:niticentral

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