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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Bihar polls: Will winds of change blow NDA’s way?
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Bihar polls: Will winds of change blow NDA’s way?

Women turned out in greater numbers than men in the first phase, but influence on final outcome not clear yet

According to Census 2011, the male literacy rate of Bihar is 71.20% while the female literacy rate is 51.50%. Photo: AFPPremium
According to Census 2011, the male literacy rate of Bihar is 71.20% while the female literacy rate is 51.50%. Photo: AFP

New Delhi: Clueless about who to vote in the Bihar assembly election, 50-year-old Sushila Devi looks around nervously, waiting to be prompted. When no one helps, she turns towards her husband and whispers, “JD(U) bolun ya kamal chaap (Should I name JD(U) or BJP)?"

She is not alone.

A majority of female voters that Mint interviewed ahead of the first phase of the ongoing elections to the state assembly drew on their family members—particularly men—to decide on their vote. In contrast, the female voter turnout surpassed that of their male counterparts.

While 54.5% was the male turnout, it was 59.5% for women voters. Similarly, in the assembly elections of 2010, 54.44% women voted compared with 51.11% male voters.

This has been a distinct improvement from the assembly elections of 2000 where only 53.28% women voted in comparison to 70.71% male voters. The gap has been narrowing since the assembly elections in October 2005 when 44.62% of the female electorate voted, in comparison to 47.02% male voters.

“We are not educated. We don’t know who to vote for. Politicians come and make promises to the poor man but we never get anything in return, so it’s best that we go with those who are more aware of what is happening in politics," said 74-year-old Asha Devi, a resident of Bhagalpur.

According to Census 2011, the male literacy rate of Bihar is 71.20% while the female literacy rate is 51.50%.

Asha Devi added, “We only hope that the party we vote for gives us basic amenities and opportunities for our children to live comfortably in the state."

Analysts attribute the increase in female turnout to improvement in law and order and electoral practices.

“The increased participation can be attributed to a few factors. One major factor is the improvement in the law and order situation. More women feel safer to come out and vote. Secondly, the electoral rolls are properly updated, this also leads to an increase. There are women whose opinion may be influenced but that is decreasing. Though women may be more scared to let their opinion be known," said Praveen Rai, academic secretary at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies who has written on political participation of women in India.

He added that unlike in states such as Tamil Nadu, Bihar doesn’t have a woman being projected as the chief minister, which tends to draw more women to come out and vote.

“Less percentage of men participating in polls could be due to the disorientation with the new politics and alliances that is emerging in the state," Rai said.

Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance and the grand alliance that includes the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United), or JD(U), have focused on women in their campaign.

BJP, in its vision document, has focused on providing security to women through 24 police control rooms that would be manned by women constables. Cheaper loans for higher education for women are also a key element of the document.

The JD(U) on the other hand has promised a 35% reservation for women in government jobs.

Interestingly, this focus was not shared during candidate selection. In the first phase, while there were 529 male candidates, only 54 women contested. In 2010, only 34 women managed to find a place for themselves in the legislative assembly as opposed to the 209 male candidates who won.

There are indications of change.

Nineteen-year-old Khushi is a first-time voter and college student from Begusarai constituency. When asked who she would vote for, She said, “I will have to look at the list of candidates and their promises before I decide who I vote for."

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Published: 14 Oct 2015, 12:21 AM IST
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