JEEVIKA didis emerge as decisive force

Patna: The state govt’s decision to launch the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana (MMRY) and provide Rs10,000 each to 1.5 crore Jeevika Didis registered with more than 11 lakh self-help groups in Bihar is believed to have helped the NDA secure victory in the assembly elections.

The state govt also increased the social welfare pension for senior citizens, widows and divyangs from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 per month.Women’s turnout in the two-phase polls held in Bihar was almost 8% higher than that of men, with an overall turnout of 71.6% compared with 66.91% for male voters. This was the highest recorded since the first state elections in 1951.While the NDA had a lead of just 11,124 votes over the Mahagathbandhan in 2020, this time 5 lakh more women voted than men.

More than 90,000 Jeevika Didis and women volunteers were deployed at polling booths by the Election Commission to facilitate the voting process and identify veiled voters.CM Nitish Kumar has long cultivated the women’s constituency since coming to power in 2005, launching several schemes for them, including 50% reservation in panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies and 35% quota for women in govt jobs in Bihar.

PM Narendra Modi has also appealed to this voter base through schemes such as Ujjwala Yojana, free ration distribution and the Lakhpati Didi and Drone Didi initiatives.Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) patron Mukesh Sahani admitted that the cash transfers to the bank accounts of Jeevika Didis ahead of the elections had played a major role in the NDA’s landslide victory.The RJD had anticipated the impact of these measures and petitioned the Election Commission to stop the govt from transferring money to the Jeevika Didis’ accounts.

The party had promised one govt job for every family and Rs 2,500 per month for women but failed to persuade the electorate. It also offered permanent jobs with salaries of Rs 30,000 per month and insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh for Jeevika Didis to counter the NDA’s initiatives, but these pledges did not gain traction, as reflected in Friday’s results.PM Modi also sought their support by interacting with BJP women workers at various locations in Bihar through audio mode under the ‘Mera Booth Sabse Majboot’ programme. He asked local BJP women workers to ensure a record victory for the NDA.When TOI reached out to Jeevika Didis and other women and girls across the state to understand their mood, the majority of them had expressed a soft corner for PM Narendra Modi and CM Nitish Kumar.