Bihar: 150 JD(U), 70 RJD, 23 Congress

English: This map depicts regions of Uttar Pradesh: Upper Doab Middle Doab Lower Doab Rohilkhand Awadh Purvanchal Bundelkhand Baghelkhand (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For the 2015 Bihar assembly elections, an alliance between the three parties would sweep Bihar. It might even beat the NDA tally of 2010. First, will these three even come together? Two, will the three agree to an arrangement where the JD(U) is the clear senior partner?

Political arithmetic would make a clear case for such an alliance. In Uttar Pradesh, a similar question arises, but there it is about the SP, the BSP and the Congress.

In Bihar it is easier because Nitish has strong development bonafides. In Uttar Pradesh Mulayam, Akhilesh or Mayawati can not make the same claim. Besides, the SP and the BSP have been strongly opposed to each other.

With a revived BJP, the party has a clear shot at forming the state government in Uttar Pradesh.

But this is too early to think in terms of state elections in Bihar. Right now I am paying attention to the Modi Sarkar unfolding. So far so good. He has impressed me on his way to power. I believe he will deliver. And if he does, he will return with a fatter majority in five years.

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Modi Getting Emotional

Nitish Will Bag 150 MLAs In 2015

That is my prediction.

IE: Infrastructure + Entrepreneurship

English: Map of Bihar (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Roads, Electricity, Broadband

Infrastructure is important, but it is not enough. And health and education are still infrastructure.

Roads are important. But don't forget electricity. And don't stop at electricity. Universal broadband allows you to complete globally.

But most important is to serve the entrepreneurs, big and small. Most jobs are created by small businesses. And the state has to go out of its way to serve the small business owners.

Nitish has done well by roads and bridges. He has even done well with schools and hospitals. But there needs to be a bigger emphasis on teachers. One sore eye on his record has been temporary teachers protesting at his public rallies. Those teachers have a point. Bihar needs more teachers, not just more roads and bridges.

Bihar needs more teachers and health care workers. Not only that, it needs to train more of both so as to be able to export them to other states and other countries.

But ultimately it is about creating jobs. And it is not for the state to create jobs. It is for entrepreneurs to do that. And there the key point is making available credit.

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Yes, Mr. Paswan, October, But Next October

English: Flag of Janata Dal (United) of India (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ram Vilas Paswan has been saying Bihar will see elections by October. He is right, but he might be off the mark by about a year. Bihar will see state elections by October 2015. And I expect Nitish to come back with 150 seats in the state assembly.

Nitish should allow Modi about a year in Delhi. That will be good timing.

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JD(U) MLAs Want Nitish Back

Burning Nitish' Boat

English: Bihar Districts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I once watched a movie, I forget the name. So this is set in the state of Maine, which is not exactly New York or California. It is considered a relatively remote state in America. The main character in the movie decides to move to New York. He makes all arrangements. And so his friends decide to throw him a farewell party. They work for days to build him a boat. Once the party is over, the character is to get on that boat and sail to New York.

At the party, all his friends burn his boat down, and thus bring an end to his plans to move to New York.

The people of Bihar burnt Nitish' boat. They do not want him to move to Delhi, not just yet. There is still so much work to do in Bihar that noone else is capable of doing, not anyone in his party, not anyone outside his party.

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