By Knocking Doors, Nitish Seeks to Steal BJP Thunder in Bihar

Nitish Kumar’s ‘har ghar dastak’ campaign seeks to strike a chord with Bihar’s voters. Will it succeed? Read here.

Bihar with its fragmented populace has been ever looking for development. Taking due cognizance of the root issues and changing aspirations of the people the JD(U)-RJD grand alliance targeted its campaign on the issues of development, good governance and law and order targeting the lowest strata of society, the Mahadalits and the backward castes, who make up 44% of the state’s voters.

Election campaigns are not mere gimmicks by parties it is in fact an amalgam of real and virtual impact on the minds of the people. Though a critic of techno-savvy Modi, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, in the wake of upcoming elections in the state has turned to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for lessons on hi-tech campaign expecting dramatic win.

Taking note of growing digitisation and use of mobiles and the internet, Nitish has left no stone unturned to connect with people especially the youth which forms a major chunk of the vote bank. JD(U) chief also knows that the BJP will leave no stone unturned to woo masses.

Touch of technology post the 2014 general elections can’t be discounted anymore and the ripples can be felt in the efforts to reach out to people. Not only is there a grand display of hoardings featuring photographs of Nitish (with slogans ‘bahut hua jumlon ka vaar, phir ek baar Nitish Kumar’) technology is being used as a potent tool in the form of election campaign title song as ring tones, catchy messages and updates on social media, Facebook, Twitter, display of phone number on hoardings in a bid to entice people.

Campaign or Gimmick?

Nitish led JD(U) seems much ahead of its arch rival BJP in the new campaign strategy. A major show of JD(U) election campaign ‘A Knock on Every Door Campaign’ (har ghar dastak) seems to have taken major strides luring common masses. Incidentally, Prashant Kishor, the key strategist of Modi’s election campaign has designed Nitish’s aggressive campaign tactic. Adept in delivering customised solutions, Kishor focused on traditional, on ground electioneering combined with high tech technology use.

Taking semblance from Modi’s Vaishno Devi visit prior to culmination of election campaign, Nitish started off by offering prayers at the Badi Patan Devi Temple and the Abu Shah Mazaar. An ambitious campaign through which the JD(U) aims to reach out to three crore voters for the state elections to be held later this year.

Nitish kicked off this much hyped campaign on July 2 with the first family of Krishna Prasad Sahu (among ten selected families) in Patna city. After talking about ground reports of his government’s performance, perception and aspirations of people Nitish made a hurried exit. A 3-D hologram bearing his picture was stuck along with a phone number at the main entrance of the house.

The state JD(U) spokesman and MLC Sanjay Singh informed that the “har ghar dastak” campaign would run in two phases from July 2 to July 11 and from July 21 to July 31. Nearly 10,000 party workers would knock doors of one crore homes and have a “direct conversation” with people on the functioning of the state government. In 30 days, 1 crore households, or roughly 3 crore voters, will be targeted without the involvement of any hi-tech technology, no data, not even a pamphlet.

JD(U) workers will knock on doors, specifically talking on four points: Do you think Bihar has seen development in the last 10 years? Have you or your community received the benefits? Is Nitish the hero of this change, does the credit go to him? If so, wouldn’t you consider extending your support to him? The visit team will leave after pasting a Nitish campaign sticker on the main door.

This campaign is expected to bring about ripple effect with people-to-people connect campaign ensuring success in elections. The innovative strategy to bring down the government at the doorsteps of people in fact is a reflection of powerful democracy that will create cumulative impact as well. This strategy is more people-centric and focused when compared to Nitish’s other campaigns like ‘Breakfast with Chief Minister’, ‘Parche Pe Charcha, ‘Samvaad’ and ‘Bihar Development Dialogues’.

Trying To Strike A Chord

The symbolic and real impact of this very innovative election campaign strategy depends very much on the strategic selection of the households that Nitish is expected to knock. Nitish’s campaign should be cautious enough that these families should and must belong from the lower strata and most deprived sections of the Bihari masses.

It is this connection with the lowest strata that will yield the expected results and election success. If the campaign fails to reach such people it will again be clubbed in the category of flop shows. The selection of the first house in this move cautiously reflects the same. Another caution on the demonstrative repercussion of this campaign is that it may hurt the sentiment of the families that have been deprived of the CM’s expected visit.

To enhance his electoral image, it is important for Nitish to inform the voters about his efforts and also convince them with his future plans for development. It is not only a major opportunity for JD(U) and RJD team, but also a moment of challenge full of apprehension. If these two parties succeed to woo voters and capture a sizeable portion of this large swing vote, they could successfully upset the BJP’s plans in Bihar.

(The writer is an eminent political analyst)