Story so far: Struggling with power, NDA demonstrated its abundance of promises – One crore jobs, seven expressways, medical colleges, on Thursday (October 30, 2025), urged voters to elect Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister once again. Apart from huge infrastructure and economic investments in Bihar, the NDA has promised free electricity, ration, education, medical treatment and increase in stipends to farmers, fishermen and women running self-help groups (SHGs).
Countering the NDA’s promises, the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (India) has offered to end contact employment in government jobs, skill census, jobs, loan waiver, medical colleges and free facilities in electricity, education, agriculture and all women. In its manifesto titled ‘Tejashwi Pran’, named after its elected Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, India has also promised to enact several laws against exam paper leaks, financial harassment, reservation limits and a Rethinking about ‘alcohol prohibition’ At present it has been installed in Bihar.
India has also promised the immediate release of poor and Dalits jailed for liquor ban violations and the exclusion of traditional liquors like mahua and toddy from the liquor ban. The alcohol percentage in both of the ‘country wines’ mentioned generally ranges between 4–8%, but some oak-aged versions contain around 40% alcohol.
Here’s what the manifestos of these parties promise in different areas
jobs
Like the previous election cycle, India’s focus has been on tackling unemployment in Bihar. His manifesto promises to issue an official order to provide one government job per family within 20 days of the formation of the government and the job process will start within twenty months. Other job-related promises include making all contract and outsourced employees permanent, providing skill-based jobs in IT parks, special economic zones (SEZs), dairy and agro-based industries, healthcare, farming, food processing, renewable energy, logistics and tourism. India has also promised to re-implement the old pension scheme, issue domicile certificates to give priority in jobs to residents of Bihar, and give reservation for persons with disabilities in government jobs.
Despite being in power since 2017, the scale of NDA’s promises is no different. The NDA has promised one crore jobs and skills census through which mega skill centers will be set up in every district.
women
The nature of the promises made to women by the two alliances is different. With promises like creating one crore ‘Lakhpati’ Didis and financial assistance of up to ₹2 lakh, the NDA has focused on economic empowerment without direct benefit transfer (DBT).
India, on the other hand, has promised to make all self-help group (SHG) workers government employees under the ‘Jeevika Didi’ scheme with a salary of ₹30,000 per month, total loan waiver and a monthly stipend of ₹2000 for women-led SHGs. It has also offered a monthly stipend of ₹2500 to all women from December, a total of ₹30,000 annually and a law against harassment by micro-finance companies for loan/interest repayments.
infrastructure
The biggest pitch of the NDA has been a ‘double engine’ government – BJP both at the Center and in the state. With the BJP coming to power at the Centre, the NDA has promised to set up satellite townships in all cities, a new city named ‘New Patna’, international airports in Darbhanga, Purnia and Bhagalpur, ten new domestic airports, seven expressways, railway tracks spanning 3600 km and metro trains in four cities.
The illuminated new terminal building of Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport. file | Photo courtesy: PTI
It has also vowed to increase industrial investment by ₹ 1 lakh crore in the next five years, create ten new industrial parks, manufacturing units in every district, a ₹ 50 lakh crore ‘backend hub’ in Bihar, five mega food parks in Mithila, textile and silk park, defense corridor, semiconductor park, global technology and a fintech city. Other infrastructure schemes include setting up a hundred MSME parks, 50,000 cottage industries. Many such key infrastructure promises have been announced in the Union Budget speeches of the Finance Minister in the last two years.
Its most ambitious promise is to set up an advanced flood management system to make Bihar flood free. Bihar witnessed massive floods during the monsoon season this year when the Election Commission conducted a special intensive revision (SIR) of the voter list in the state, in which 47 lakh names were removed.
Out of power at the Center since 2014, India has mostly confined its promises to the state — setting up industrial clusters, upgrading district hospitals, setting up super specialty hospitals. However, it has also promised five new expressways.
Education
Special attention has been given to education by both the alliances. The NDA’s promises include a ₹5000 crore fund for refurbishing district schools, setting up an Artificial Intelligence (AI) hub through centers of excellence, autonomous medical colleges in every district, a super specialty hospital for pediatric and autism care and sports centers in every district for registered sports.
India has promised to build an education city on 2000 acres, women’s colleges in every district and degree colleges in 136 areas where there are none at present. Providing economic relief to students, India has promised waiver of fees for competitive exams and free travel to exam centres, strict checking of paper leaks. It has also promised to enact a law to restrict transfer/posting of teachers, health workers within 70 km of their homes.
backward communities
Extremely Backward Castes (EBC)
EBCs are the largest block (36%) in Bihar according to the state’s 2022 caste census – making them an attractive target for both alliances.
The NDA has promised to provide financial assistance of up to Rs 10 lakh to EBCs like Tanti, Tatma, Nishad, Mallah, Kevat, Goangoti, Bind, Noniya, Teli, Tamoli, Badhaai, Dhanuk, Lahore, Kumar, Barber, Shilpakar, Tateri, Mali, Chandravanshi, Halwai, Kanu, Dangi, Turha, Amat, Kevart, Rajvanshi and Gaderia. The NDA manifesto said a special committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of a retired Supreme Court judge to study and advise the government on steps to improve the social and economic condition of the EBCs.
Supporters of Bihar Janata Dal (U) Extremely Backward Cell celebrating during a procession after the release of caste census report in 2023 in Patna. file | Photo Credit: ANI
In contrast, India has promised better representation for EBCs with 30% reservation in panchayat and urban bodies, an interest-free cash transfer of Rs 5 lakh for five years to the barber, kumar, badhai, blacksmith, cobbler and gardener communities.
SC/ST and minorities
The manifestos of both the alliances feature cash transfers for Scheduled Castes (SCs). The NDA has promised a monthly stipend of ₹2000 to SC students, boarding schools and a special enterprise fund for SC students and working youth. However, there is no mention of STs and minorities in his manifesto.
On the other hand, India has promised to fund 200 SC students annually if they wish to pursue higher studies abroad. It has promised to pass a constitutional amendment to break the 50% reservation cap in the state, 20% reservation for Scheduled Castes and increase the quota for Scheduled Tribes according to population in urban and panchayat bodies. For minorities, India’s promises are ideological – upholding their constitutional rights and not implementing the amended Waqf Act.
Farmer/Fisherman
Cash benefits largely figure into all the promises made by the NDA and India to farmers and fishermen. For farmers, the NDA has promised three cash transfers of ₹3000 annually, a total of ₹9000, agricultural investment of up to ₹1 lakh crore, guarantee of procurement of crops (rice, wheat, maize and pulses) at minimum support price and doubling of crop production with a focus on self-reliance in pulses production. For fishermen, the NDA will provide two cash transfers of ₹4500 each, totaling ₹9000. It has also promised to double fish production and set up cooling and processing centers across Bihar.
Its rival India’s promises echo the revival of the previous agricultural structure – guaranteeing procurement of crops at MSP, reviving agricultural mandis and strengthening the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) in every district.
workers
For workers, the NDA promises financial assistance and skills assistance along with the provision of life insurance up to ₹4 lakh for auto, e-rickshaw and taxi drivers.
India, on the other hand, has decided to strengthen its UPA-era scheme – Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). In this, it has been promised to increase the daily wage of MNREGA workers to ₹ 300 and increase the minimum number of days to 200 days. Focusing on migrant labourers, India promises a labor census and resulting training, along with a separate department for migrant laborers along with a database to keep records of all such labourers. To address the problems of these workers, ‘Bihar Mitra Centres’ will be set up for migrant workers in Mumbai, Delhi, Surat, Bengaluru and Ludhiana. It also promises to double the salaries of Gram Panchayat workers and start pension for old Gram Panchayat workers.
Migrant workers, carrying their belongings and covering their faces, walk along a railway track to return to their home state East Bihar, during the extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Ghaziabad. file | Photo courtesy: Reuters
Free facilities for the poor
Catering to the basic needs of the economically weaker sections, the NDA has promised them free ration, free electricity up to 125 units, free medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh, 50 lakh new pucca houses and social security pension. Girl students can avail free education from Kindergarten (KG) to Post Graduate (PG) with nutritious mid-day meal.
India has promised a monthly stipend of ₹1500 for widows and senior citizens respectively, while disabled citizens will get ₹3000. It has also announced free electricity up to 200 units, free life insurance up to Rs 25 lakh for poor families.
Religious tourism and art
Tourism and religion have been a constant feature in BJP manifestos across states – often promising to build ‘corridors’ or ‘circuits’ around ancient temples. In Bihar, the BJP has announced that it will build the Vishnupad and Mahabodh corridors, developing circuits spanning the temples of Ramayana, Lord Buddha and the river Ganga, respectively. Along with plans to promote tourism and film, it has promised one lakh green homestays, a film city in Bihar, an arts university and a newly-proposed Bihar School of Drama and Television.
Apart from the NDA and Bharatiya Janata Party, election strategist Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraj Party is in the fray in Bihar but has not yet released its manifesto. Voting for the 243-seat Bihar Assembly will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11 and the results will be declared on November 14.
