Patna | Bureau Report
As Bihar heads into the 2025 Assembly polls, the political battlefield is now dominated by manifesto wars.
Both the ruling NDA and the opposition Mahagathbandhan have unveiled a flurry of promises from free electricity to government jobs — all aimed at wooing the state's vast voter base.
But the big question remains: Who’s offering more and who can actually deliver?
Jobs: NDA’s “1 Crore Employment” Promise vs Mahagathbandhan’s “One Job per Family”
The NDA manifesto promises over 1 crore government jobs and a sweeping skill revolution across the state.
Each district will host a Mega Skill Center, turning Bihar into a “Global Skilling Hub.”
Auto, taxi, and e-rickshaw drivers will get ₹4 lakh life insurance and collateral-free vehicle loans at low interest rates.Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan has placed jobs at the core of its campaign — pledging that one member from every family will get a government job.They claim that employment generation will start within 20 months of forming the government.
The manifesto also promises to raise MNREGA wages from ₹255 to ₹300 per day and conduct a comprehensive labor census.
Women Empowerment: Competing Promises of Power and Paychecks
For women, both alliances have gone all-in.
The NDA’s “Chief Minister Women Employment Scheme” promises financial assistance up to ₹2 lakh and aims to create one crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’ — women earning at least ₹1 lakh annually.
The Mahagathbandhan, however, has promised stability and dignity for women workers.
All Jeevika Community Mobilisers (CM Didis) will be made permanent government employees with a monthly salary of ₹30,000.
Additionally, the “Maa-Behen Maan Yojana” will provide ₹2,500 per month as direct financial support to women.
EBCs (Extremely Backward Classes): Reservation and Recognition
The NDA plans to offer ₹10 lakh assistance to professional groups among the Extremely Backward Classes and set up a High-Level Committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to study their socio-economic status.
The Mahagathbandhan, on the other hand, has gone a step further — promising to raise the 50% reservation ceiling by passing a resolution in the state legislature and sending it to the Centre for inclusion in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.
Free Electricity: The Numbers Game
The competition for free electricity is fierce.
The NDA has announced 125 units of free power per household,
while the Mahagathbandhan has promised 200 free units — aiming to appeal directly to rural and lower-income families.
Education: NDA Focuses on Quality, Mahagathbandhan on Accessibility
The NDA promises free quality education from KG to PG, the establishment of a world-class Education City, and a ₹5,000 crore modernization plan for key district schools.
In contrast, the Mahagathbandhan has focused on removing financial barriers for students — eliminating exam form and fee charges, offering free travel to exam centers, and setting up women’s colleges in every subdivision.
Poor and Farmers: Welfare vs Affordability
The NDA’s “Panchamrit Guarantee” covers five major welfare promises —
free ration, 125 units of free power, ₹5 lakh health insurance, 50 lakh new houses, and social security pensions.
Farmers, under the new Karpuri Thakur Kisan Samman Nidhi, will receive ₹9,000 per year, with ₹1 lakh crore investment in agri-infrastructure and MSP-based procurement at the panchayat level.
The Mahagathbandhan counters with ₹500 LPG cylinders, a Kisan Bima (Farmer Insurance) Scheme, and the promotion of makhana (fox nut) industries in North Bihar.
It also promises tablets for all students from Classes 8 to 12, emphasizing digital education for poor families.
So, Who’s Winning the Promise War?
Both alliances have painted a vision of a “New Bihar,”
but with strikingly different approaches —
NDA banking on governance and infrastructure,
while Mahagathbandhan focuses on jobs, justice, and social welfare.
The verdict, however, will rest with the people of Bihar
who must now decide whose promises carry more weight, and whose plans feel more real.
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