This development must touch the lives of the people. For instance, the Ganga flows through the centre of Bihar. The 5,500 bridges built over it and its tributaries in last decade have enhanced livelihoods and reduced travel time. Two 66,500 kms of roads built during the same period have made Patna accessible from any part of Bihar in six hours. There should be more.

Free medicines in primary health centres since 2006 have improved health indices but this is not enough. The grant of free bicycles and scholarships has ensured that 98 per cent of all children now go to primary school, of which girls constitute half. The increase of power generation from roughly 700 MW in 2005 to 3,300 MW now has brought TV to the remotest village.

Secondly, all economic development must keep in mind the paramount goal of social justice. Bihar is still one of the poorest states in the country. More economic growth means little if it does not reach the poorest of the poor and perennially marginalized. There is a direct co-relation between caste and socio-economic deprivation and that is why caste and identity politics continue to be so important. The mahadalits and dalits, backward classes — and among them extremely backward—must become shareholders in economic development. Their aspirations are tangible. Thirdly, all this must take place in an atmosphere of religious and social harmony.

Bihar is one of the poorest states in India. What people in the state have been looking for is development. It is difficult for the common man to survive because of the rising costs, poverty and corruption. Keeping that in mind, the JD(U) centred its campaign on the issues of development, good governance and law and order. The party aimed to target the people of the lowest strata of society, the Mahadalits and the backward castes, who make up 44 per cent of the state's voters.

Union minister Anant Kumar, who is campaign in-charge of the BJP, too says this time development is the main issue; it will be a vote for development. “Lalu Prasad wants to ensure Bihar remains in 1990s. They want stagnation but sorry, it won’t happen. Bihar is moving ahead. It will be a vote for development. Don’t do any injustice to the youth of Bihar. They know the country is moving ahead, they know what is happening elsewhere. It will be a vote for change to join Indian mainstream.”

Anant Kumar was highly critical of Nitish Kumar, saying: “We (Nitish and BJP) started together very well but after some years he betrayed us. By joining hands with the Congress, he betrayed JP, Karpoori Thakur and Lohia. See how he had landed with Lalu and Congress. That is the level to which Nitish has fallen.”

While Lalu continued to project the Bihar poll as battle between OBCs and higher castes, state’s Janata Dal (U) president Basishth Narain Singh feels that inclusive development with social justice was the election plank of the grand alliance led by Nitish. Caste, he said, was indeed a reality and there were backward castes as well as forward castes “but I do not accept that caste is everything. Development is a far bigger issue”. The JD(U)-RJD-Congress combine, he maintained, had gone to the people on the work by Nitish Kumar as CM.

Singh sought to rationalize Lalu’s current casteist stance by arguing that different parties come together during elections. “Some of them do have caste base, but people of Bihar will vote on the issue of development”, he said, adding “development is far more important to them than caste.”

About 60 per cent of Bihar’s voters are in the age group of 18-39 and a large section of them are counted as caste-neutral constituency. Nitish has been catering to the youth by talking about a student credit card and allowance to help hunt for jobs.

The run-up for the 2015 assembly elections proved a direct face-off between the ruling JD (U) and the BJP, or between CM Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The attacks between them got more scathing as the elections approached. From the outset, Nitish Kumar criticized PM and his government over several issues and alleged that the latter did not keep his promise of giving Bihar the special state status. Modi had announced a special package of Rs. 1.25 lakh crore for the state. Nitish Kumar termed this package as a trick to lure voters. (IPA Service)