The Bihar of Tomorrow Will Be Shaped by the Votes of Today

The Bihar Assembly Election 2025 is not just another political event — it is a defining moment in the state’s democratic journey. The time has come for Bihar to rise above stagnation and prepare for real change. 

In a democracy, ultimate power rests not with leaders, but with the people — the voters who hold the pen that writes the story of the future. 

From Prosperity to Decline 

According to a 2023–24 report by the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Committee, Bihar was among India’s top five states in terms of GDP contribution back in 1961. That fact alone is enough to raise a haunting question: How did a state once so prosperous, fall so far behind? 

The turning point came in the 1990s. While the rest of India was moving rapidly toward industrialization after the LPG (Liberalisation, Privatisation, Globalisation) reforms, Bihar was consumed by caste politics, corruption, and criminality. 

The phrase “Jungle Raj” became synonymous with lawlessness — a symbol of a state where governance collapsed, and fear ruled. 

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The People’s Power — and Their Mistakes 

In a democracy, blame seldom lies entirely with leaders or systems. The true power — and the true responsibility — lies with the people who vote. 

It was the voters who elevated leaders that eventually dragged Bihar backward. Today’s Bihar, with its deep-rooted problems of unemployment, poor infrastructure, and social divide, is not just the result of political failure — it is the outcome of collective electoral choices made over decades. 

The Bihar of tomorrow will similarly depend on the decisions made by the voters of today.

When Fear Silenced Justice 

The 1990s in Bihar were marked not just by political instability but also by moral decay. One of the most chilling examples was the Champa Biswas case — where the wife of an IAS officer was repeatedly raped between 1995 and 1997 by RJD leader Mrityunjay Yadav, also known as Bablu. 

During this period, fear and criminal dominance reached such heights that even government officials’ families were unsafe. The police remained inactive, the administration was silent, and justice was nowhere to be found. It was a time when the law served the powerful, and the powerless were left to their fate.

“Jungle Raj” — More Than a Phrase 

The term “Jungle Raj” was not merely a political slogan coined by opponents; it was the lived reality of millions. It represented a time when crime overshadowed governance and when people lost faith in the system meant to protect them. 

If even an IAS officer’s wife could not find justice, what hope did the common citizen have? A Choice Between Past and Future 

As Bihar heads toward the 2025 assemble elections, this is not just a battle between parties — it is a battle between memories and possibilities. 

To repeat the mistakes of the 1990s would be to betray the generations that suffered during that time. 

This election is an opportunity to awaken the soul of Bihar — to reclaim the dignity, prosperity, and safety that once defined it. 

The decision lies with the people. 

The choice is simple yet profound — between progress and regression, between light and darkness. 

Power of a Vote 

Bihar stands at a crossroads. What it becomes next will depend not on promises made by politicians but on the consciousness of its voters. Every ballot cast in Bihar Assemble Election 2025 will echo in the years to come. 

Because ultimately — The Bihar of Tomorrow Will Be Shaped by the Votes of Today.

(RS)

Author is a M.A in Political Science from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

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