Interview/ Neeraj Kumar, JD(U) member of legislative council and former minister
Q/ Nitish Kumar has promised one crore government jobs. Unemployment remains a major election issue. How do you see that?
There is a misconception about Bihar. As per the caste survey data, 94.5 per cent of Biharis live in villages and towns within the state. Migration is minimal. Some people go outside for study or jobs—which is their right—but they range from labourers to engineers and scientists. Most of those who migrated permanently were upper castes during Lalu Prasad’s tenure. Dalits and the most backward classes largely remain within the state as they are protected socially and economically.
Unemployment, as an issue, is often exaggerated. People judge who can actually create jobs. Our opponents have a poor track record—corruption and land scams. Nitish Kumar doesn’t have that stain. People trust his commitments.
Q/ Recently, there was controversy around the SIR—that 45 lakh voters were removed from the rolls, many of them dalits or the marginalised.
If 25 lakh new names were added later, most of them were from dalit, backward and minority communities. So the claim doesn’t hold. No major party even appointed booth agents in 90,000 booths—not the BJP, the Congress, or the RJD. That is an organisational failure.
Q/ How do you view Tejashwi Yadav as Nitish Kumar’s main rival?
He projects himself as a youth leader, but was missing during Covid-19. He (his party) lost in both 2019 and 2024 elections, and his own alliance partners hesitated to make him leader. He is burdened by the same image of criminalisation that plagued his father’s politics—the same candidates, same style.
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Q/ Prohibition remains controversial. Some parties promise to review it.
Alcohol is a social evil. Nitish Kumar made society accept that truth. Women supported prohibition overwhelmingly in 2024. Meanwhile, the RJD took Rs46 crore in electoral bonds from liquor companies. What message does that send? Despite claims that prohibition hurts tourism, Bihar now attracts more tourists than Goa—because of spiritual tourism. And domestic violence has dropped significantly. No party can oppose prohibition openly; it would be political suicide.
Q/ The caste survey revealed detailed social data. Do you think a national caste census would change Indian politics?
Definitely. A socioeconomic caste survey has been a national demand for years. Karnataka and Telangana did it, but never made the reports public. Nitish Kumar not only did it, but published it—setting a precedent. It has compelled even the Congress to include caste data in its national agenda.