Well, we’ve arrived in Bihar for the November assembly elections and, at the moment, this much is clear from television news coverage: All is (not) well in the National Democratic Alliance – and everything is wrong with the opposition Mahagathbandhan.
For its part, the public is confusing us even further: When asked by TV reporters about the outcome of the polls, they say everything from “Har Ghar Modi” and “Nitish Kumar ki jeet” to “Badlav”, “Congress ko vote”, “RJD sarkar”, and “Prashant Kishor hi sahi”.
Meanwhile, NDA and Mahagathbandhan (MGB) are making tall claims of unity whenever a TV news microphone is thrust at them. “All is well in the NDA,” said Sanjay Jha of Janata Dal (United), on Monday. “Nitish Kumar is happy.”
Headlines across news channels disagreed: They informed us that Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar, is displeased with the seat-sharing arrangement in the ruling coalition.
And on Wednesday, Upendra Kushwaha, Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief, told TV news, “Nothing is well in NDA…there are issues to be resolved.”
The Mahagathbandhan has nothing to celebrate, either. Smiles were wiped off the faces of the Lalu Prasad family, Monday, after a Delhi court framed charges against them in a case of alleged irregularities in an IRCTC hotel-tendering process. “Setback for Lalu & Co,” wrote CNN News 18. “Major setback,” added NDTV 24×7.
“Lalu ghotale ke chakravyuh mein,” said ABP News, while TV9 Bharatvarsh said this was a “very big blow” to Lalu’s family. “No way out for Lalu and family,” declared India Today.
Lalu’s son and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief, Tejashwi Yadav, told every TV reporter who spoke to him that the “timing” of the court ruling was expected because of the Assembly elections.
He is very confident that the MGB is going to win the elections, scheduled for 6 and 11 November.
Congress leader Manoj Kumar said the seat-sharing arrangement would be declared “tomorrow”. But tomorrow and tomorrow haven’t come, so far.
Prashant Kishor and his Jan Suraaj Party are the only ones with candidates declared for 116 out of 243 seats and a poll campaign in swing. However, we have seen almost nothing of them on TV news channels. TV news is behaving as though the Bihar election is a straight fight between NDA and MGB. But India Today’s ‘C-Voter Bihar Mood Check’ put Kishor at number two for the CM’s post after Tejashwi Yadav.
Fighting camps and a ‘third front’
Television news have been even-handed in pointing out the foibles of the different coalition partners in both camps, NDA and MGB. If it’s ‘Mahagathbandhan mein Mahabharat seaton pe’ (News 18 India) for the opposition, it’s ‘Dangal NDA mein…” (India TV) for the ruling coalition.
While there’s a “daraar” between RJD’s Tejashwi and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress (Aaj Tak), Nitish Kumar is “unhappy with BJP’ (Republic TV). So there.
News 24 said there are “Ifs and buts in NDA”, while Zee News had an “exclusive” announcement: Someone may leave the Mahagathbandhan. It could be the VIP (Vikassheel Insaan Party). ABP News came up with another theory: Plans could be afoot for a “third front” in Bihar.
India TV said “formula final in NDA” but the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) appeared to have an “undue advantage” – its leader Chirag Paswan was the thorn in Nitish Kumar’s flesh. Rahul and Tejashwi did not meet in Delhi and there were “rumblings” in the Mahagathbandhan, revealed NDTV 24×7.
Basically, TV news found obstacles in the NDA’s way and roadblocks stalling MGB.
Which way is the wind blowing?
‘Public hai sab janti hai’ is a popular way of complimenting voters for their innate good sense when deciding on whom to vote for. In Bihar, the voters we have heard from on TV news channels, are canny and savvy. “Whoever brings development will get my vote, this is a vote for development not for a party,” said a wise voter on India TV.
“We will look at the candidate first, not the party,” said another voter.
Times Now Navbharat found angry voters. “The government has done nothing for us. There’s no infrastructure,” claimed a tea stall owner in Darbhanga.
India TV found a “pandit ji” who thought otherwise: “The BJP will rule forever,” he stated, “Modi, Modi…”
A wizened old man said, simply, “I will vote for those who have done good.”
Shopkeepers disagreed with each other. One said there was clear evidence of “development”; another shook his head and added, “Prices are too high…”
Women voters seemed to have decided. On News 18 Indian and India TV, many of them could be heard opting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Nitish Kumar.
Of course, we have learnt from watching TV news election coverage over years is that voters often don’t tell reporters what they’re thinking. They say what they think is the ‘right’ answer.
TV reporters are aware of this ruse and have become quite clever themselves. Certainly, the female reporter on India TV Prachi Parasher, News 24’s ‘Mahaul Kya Hai’ host Rajeev Ranjan and Prateek Trivedi of News 18 India are doing a fine job of coaxing people to speak up frankly.
Parasher is relaxed and friendly, and allows people to open up with questions like, “Namaste Chacha, paan kaisa hai?” before jumping into the election coverage.
Ranjan patiently wanders around talking to people while Trivedi knows how to work a crowd.
Between them, they do reflect the many and differing opinions on Bihar Assembly elections. They don’t have the answer to ‘Kaun Banega CM’ yet, but at least we get a sense of how the wind blows.
The author tweets @shailajabajpai. Views are personal.
(Edited by Prashant)