SITAMARHI: In the heart of Bihar’s Mithilanchala, where the air is filled with the scent of Maithili folk songs and the pain of annual floods – though people have had a respite this monsoon – the 2025 parliamentary elections have come down to faith, work and local pride. The NDA is banking on Ramaiah’s symbolism and development promises to hold its ground, while the opposition Mahagatbandhan is playing the migration and unemployment cards to counter the “Sushashan” narrative of incumbent Nitish Kumar, who is central to the alliance’s “twin engine” plan along with Prime Minister Modi’s charisma. The ruckus started when Union Minister Amit Shah performed ‘bhumi pujan’ at Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi, Sita’s birthplace. The NDA has promised massive redevelopment along the lines of Ayodhya, which includes the new city of Sitapuram. The land acquisition is almost complete and construction of the 68-acre crowd-funded complex at a cost of Rs 890 crore will begin soon. This promise extends beyond Punaura. The project is part of the Ramayana chain of Rs 52 crore for Valmiki Nagar, Rs 31 crore for Pulhar in Madhubani, Rs 24 crore for Pant Pakara in Sitamarhi, Rs 23 crore for Ahiliya Place, Rs 13 crore for Ram Reka Ghat and Rs 7 crore for Sita Kund in Manger Gaya. People in the region see the initiative as a boost to Mithila’s identity, where the NDA’s credibility is soaring amid a diverse mix of Yadavs, EBCs (36% according to the 2023 caste survey), Muslims and upper-caste Maithilas. The promise to resume the operation of the Riga sugar factory, which had been inactive for more than five years, gave local residents hope. “This will bring jobs back to our fields,” says Ram Kripal, a farmer. NDA candidate Vaidyanath Prasad is in a tough fight with MGB Congress candidate Amit Kumar Tuna. Congress hammers home the ‘local vs outsider’ point by portraying Prasad as an import as he hails from Sheohar. However, the NDA’s advantage is clear: in 2020, it won 30 of the 46 seats in Mytilanchal; in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it swept all seven parliamentary segments here. Mithilanchal covers 10-12 districts: Darbhanga and Madhubani (10 seats each, NDA strongholds), Muzaffarpur and Samastipur (10 each, Yadav-EBC battles), Sitamarhi (6, migration issues), Saharsa (5), Supav (3), Madhepura (3), Sheohar (1) and parts of Vaishali-Begusarai. More than 70 lakh voters, including 10 lakh first-time voters, will be eligible to vote in the second phase of voting on November 11. Women, whose voter turnout was 59% in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, have been wooed through schemes like the Rs 1.51 crore grant to the Jivik sisters, a factor that could prove to be the most crucial factor if the NDA maintains its winning streak. NDA’s ‘M3 Strategy’ – Mithila, Music, Mahila – is being showcased with folk singer Maithili Thakur as the star campaigner for 20+ seats. She paints the youth, facing the migration blues. PM Modi and Shah pushed ‘Modiwaad + Nitishwaad’ by promising IT jobs, revival of sugar mills and a classic language tag for Maithili. RJD-led Tejashwi Yadav’s MGB expects to win 10-15 seats, hoping that EBC voters will increase their Yadav-Muslim constituency. Tejashwi held rallies in Samastipur-Madhubani, promising one crore jobs, double panchayat pay and pensions. But seating issues – friendly eight-seater fights – and ‘Jungle Raj’ taunts will hurt the MGB. Also, AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi fielded four candidates (in Jhala, Bisfi, Keoti, Darbhanga town), splitting the Muslim vote. Jan Suraai is fighting for all 46 seats. For now, it remains to be seen who the new entrant will hurt more, given that the fight is mostly between two alliances.
