As Bihar prepares for its highly anticipated assembly elections, the state’s political landscape has become a battleground of not only policy promises but also street-level jibes and poster wars. The clash between the RJD and BJP is intensifying, with accusations flying and welfare initiatives being rolled out in a bid to sway voters.
Nitish Kumar’s Pension Scheme Announcement
While the political tensions play out in the streets of Patna, Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, has shifted the focus toward welfare in his latest social security announcement. On social media, Nitish Kumar revealed that the Social Security Pension Scheme will see a substantial increase from ₹400 to ₹1,100 per month for widowed women, elderly citizens, and the disabled.
This move, which aims to benefit over 1.09 crore people across the state, is seen as a timely intervention ahead of the elections. Nitish Kumar has promised that the increased amount will be transferred to beneficiaries’ accounts by the 10th of each month, starting this July, providing much-needed financial relief to the most vulnerable sections of society. The announcement underscores his focus on social welfare and seeks to paint his leadership as focused on the well-being of Bihar’s marginalized communities.
However, it remains to be seen whether such welfare-driven initiatives can outweigh the negative impact of the ongoing poster wars that have dominated the political discourse.
Fodder-Thief Jibes and Damaad-Commission Posters
Political posters mocking Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav have become a prominent feature of Patna’s streets in recent weeks. The ruling BJP has launched an aggressive campaign through these posters, targeting the RJD’s top leadership over their alleged involvement in corruption scandals.
The most prominent attack has been on Lalu, who has been depicted as a ‘fodder thief’, a direct reference to the infamous ₹950 crore Fodder Scam that marred his tenure as the Chief Minister of Bihar in the 1990s. The scam, which involved embezzlement of public funds meant for animal fodder, has been a recurring theme in BJP’s criticism of Lalu, framing him as a symbol of corruption. Despite Lalu’s conviction, his RJD party continues to hold significant sway in the state, and the BJP seems determined to keep the issue in the public eye in the lead-up to the elections.
Tejashwi, who has taken on a more prominent role in the RJD in recent years, hasn’t been spared either. Posters mocking him as a ‘tap thief’ (toti chor) have appeared in various parts of Patna, attacking his credibility and leadership. The use of the word ‘tap’ references an alleged incident where Tejashwi was accused of involvement in corrupt activities related to water supply projects. Additionally, the academic failure jibe calling him ;Feelswi Yadav’ (a play on ‘failed’ and ‘Tejashwi’) mocks his alleged lack of formal education, aiming to paint him as unfit to lead Bihar.
The BJP’s aggressive use of these jabs has drawn sharp responses from the RJD. Party leaders have called the posters ‘a desperate attempt’ by the BJP to tarnish their image ahead of the assembly polls. Tejashwi Yadav himself has hit back, accusing the BJP of being more focused on smear campaigns than offering real solutions for Bihar’s development.
In retaliation, the RJD has also embraced its own set of poster-based strategies. They’ve countered the BJP’s attacks with slogans and posters defending their leadership, with a particular focus on highlighting the ‘misrule’ and ‘failures’ of the current government, especially in areas like education and employment.
Fodder Scam
The issue of the Fodder Scam has come to the forefront once again, not just in the poster war but in the ongoing political discourse. While Lalu Prasad Yadav remains the most high-profile figure associated with the scam, Jagannath Mishra, a former Chief Minister of Bihar, is also closely linked to the controversy. Mishra, who served as CM during the same period as Lalu, was also convicted for his involvement in the Fodder Scam but has faced significantly less political backlash.
A Fierce Battle for Bihar’s Political Future
The intense poster war and welfare promises are now key components of the electoral landscape. The BJP is banking on its campaign of exposing alleged corruption, while the RJD is hoping that its focus on social welfare and historical resistance to BJP dominance will resonate with the electorate.
The 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections are shaping up to be a battle over both Bihar’s political past and future. As street-level tactics mix with policy announcements, the voters of Bihar will soon decide whether they are more persuaded by the promise of change or the appeal of social security.
With these campaigns running parallel to each other, Bihar’s streets are not just physically divided by party posters but also by differing ideologies, making this election one of the most closely contested in the state’s recent history.
