Sunita Devi, a 45-year-old Mallah woman, has made up her mind. She will vote for chief minister Nitish Kumar, even if it means defying the men in her family.
“Nitish sarkar ration de rahi hai, gas bhi mila hai aur ab ghar bhi milega. Jo itna kuch diya usko vote kaise nahi denge? (The Nitish Kumar government gives us ration, we got cooking gas, and now we’ll get a house. How can we not vote for someone who has given us so much?)” she says, seated outside her thatched home in the narrow lanes of Nawa Nagar village in Muzaffarpur.
Sunita’s support for Nitish comes despite the anger over Bihar’s failed liquor prohibition policy. She says welfare benefits such as free ration, LPG connection and the transfer of ₹10,000 under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana have improved her life and far outweigh the resentment.
“For us, ₹10,000 is a big help. I plan to buy goats and start a small business,” she says with a glint in her eyes.
Sunita Devi (in the middle seated), a Mallah caste woman in Nawa Nagar village of Muzaffarpur district. Bindu Devi (standing on the left)
According to the 2023 caste survey in Bihar, 94 lakh families earn less than ₹6,000 per month, and the one-time transfer of ₹10,000 is significant.
With just days left for the first phase of polling on November 6, the mass transfer of money to women’s bank accounts has gathered pace — and appears to be quietly reshaping electoral loyalties. In several villages across north Bihar, women say the scheme could override traditional caste or community preferences.
“I haven’t received the money yet,” says Bindu Devi, a relative of Sunita.
“Form bhara hai to mil jaayega (You’ll get it if you’ve filled the form),” Sunita reassures her.
“But who cares for us once elections are over?” Bindu mutters, fearful she may be left out.
Officially, the ₹10,000 grant is a one-time seed fund under a World Bank-aided rural livelihood programme meant to help women start income-generating activities. Those who succeed can later access loans up to ₹1.9 lakh. Those who fail are not required to return the initial amount, effectively making it a cash dole.
According to Bihar officials, over one crore women associated with self-help groups have already received the payment in batches. In September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi symbolically pressed a button to credit ₹10,000 each into the accounts of 75 lakh women. Nitish followed with a similar transfer to another 25 lakh beneficiaries. Disbursements are ongoing for another 25 lakh women.
The bid to target such a huge population with a direct cash transfer points to an effort to counter anti-incumbency and sway voters. Out of the over 7 crore voters in Bihar, around 3.5 crore are women. A total of 14 lakh voters will exercise their franchise for the first time.
The timing of the scheme’s rollout has drawn Opposition flak. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has petitioned the Election Commission, alleging violation of the model code of conduct and calling the scheme “cash for votes”.
“The timing — just weeks before polling — clearly shows a calculated attempt to influence voters through direct cash benefits,” RJD MP Manoj Jha said in his complaint.
The poll panel is yet to respond.
Despite the controversy, the initiative appears to have shored up Nitish’s standing among women — a constituency he has cultivated for two decades.
At recent NDA rallies, the crowds have been dominated by women, bolstering confidence within the alliance that has battled fatigue from 19 years of incumbency.
According to BJP leaders, the outreach is part of a deliberate strategy. In a state plagued by male migration, women have consistently recorded higher voter turnout.
“In the 2020 Assembly polls, women outvoted men in around 150 of the 243 constituencies — and the NDA won 90 of those,” said a senior party functionary.
As a counter, the Mahagathbandhan poll manifesto has promised a monthly dole of ₹2,500 for women.