Bihar: How ‘Rozgar aur Naukri’ Became Key Poll Issues, Pulling Crowds in Opposition Rallies

Patna: Barely four days ahead of last phase of Lok Sabha elections (seventh phase on June 1) in eight parliamentary constituencies, it is clear that "rozgar aur naukri" (employment and jobs) have overshadowed all other issues in Bihar.

Sensing the pulse on the ground, the Opposition Mahagathbandhan star campaigner, Tejashwi Yadav, has played the job card from day one to counter the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led led National Democratic Alliance’s campaign led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Other issues have been raised during the ongoing election campaign by leaders of both the Mahagathbandhan and NDA since early April till date, but the issues of employment and jobs have dominated in the discourse among people from the streets in urban pockets to the narrow lanes in villages.

On May 27, while addressing a joint election meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Khusrupur-Bakhtiyarpur in Patna Sahib parliamentary constituency, Tejashwi reminded people that the 75-year-old Narendra Modi was giving a guarantee for the arrest of a 34-year-old Tejashwi Yadav, “but we (Tejashwi and Rahul) guarantee to give naukri (jobs).This is the real difference.”

"Mijaj rakhiye Tana Tan Tana Tan, Naukri Milega Phata Phat Phata Phat", Tejashwi told the huge crowd that gathered to listen to him and Rahul Gandhi despite the scorching heat here.

The issues of employment and jobs have made Tejashwi popular not only among the youths but even middle-aged parents of unemployed youths. It appears to have raised new hope. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader does not miss any opportunity to remind the people of how he provided nearly five lakh government jobs, mainly school teachers, during his 17-month tenure as the state’s deputy Chief Minister till January 2024.

The Mahagathbandhan has tried to embarrass and expose the Modi-Nitish duo over rampant unemployment and their failure to fulfil the promise of employment and jobs. Tejashwi Yadav makes it a point to repeatedly question Prime Minister Modi about his promise in 2014 to give two crore jobs a year and dared him to speak on employment, questioning his silence. Modi, during his nine visits to Bihar for the election campaign, has failed to reply the questions asked by Tejashwi.

On Monday, the RJD leader said that employment and jobs were the main issues in these elections for the youths, who have been running from pillar to post in search of jobs. The Mahagathbadhan, which is the part of Opposition INDIA bloc, has promised to give one crore jobs to youths. He said there were a large number of posts lying vacant in different government departments for years. As per an estimate, there are 30 lakh vacant posts, and another 70 lakh posts will be created, he promised.

Last week, Tejashwi gave a new twist to the issue of jobs .”Tum Mujhe Vote Do, Main Tumhe Naukri Dunga" (Give us your votes and we will give you jobs), he said in an election meeting.

On Sunday (May 26), the RJD leader wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Modi in which he raised the issue of employment. He also accused Modi of finding a “unique” way to end reservations in government jobs for the marginalised under Section 15 and Section 16 of the Constitution.

"It is simple, Modi has been doing this by ending government jobs in Railways, Army and other departments. If such jobs are privatised, there will be no place for reservation. We have requested Modi time and again in Parliament to make arrangements for reservation in the private sector to facilitate opportunity of jobs to deprived sections”, he said.

Faced with an aggressive campaign by the Opposition, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the state BJP president have been forced to promise more jobs ahead of 2025.

What is worrying NDA leaders is that that issues of employment and jobs are resonating with the youth who are turning up in large numbers in the election meetings of Tejashwi.

"The electrifying response of the massive crowds of youths in one after another election meetings of Tejashwi reflects the importance of issues, such as employment and jobs,” Anoj Kumar, a graduate job aspirant, told NewsClick.

Enthused by the response, Tejashwi challenged Modi’s road show in Patna by saying the PM should instead hold a ‘job show’.

however, there is a debated among people here whether the issues of employment and jobs would help the Mahagathbandhan to improve its performance in the elections in the state known for caste-ridden politics for decades.

In February 2024, after being ousted from power nearly a month ago by the BJP-led-NDA in Bihar, Tejashwi focussed on  the issues of employment and jobs in his Jan Vishwas Yatra across all districts. Massive crowds had welcomed and greeted him across the state for highlighting such issues.

"The young Tejashwi, who is former Deputy Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, has hit the streets to remind people of his contribution during the 17- month rule of the Mahagathbandhan," RJD leader Shakti Yadav said.

The BJP-led NDA had won 39 out of the total 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar in the 2019 elections, with Congress winning one and RJD drawing a blank.