Archive · 6 Nov 2025
Bihar Migrant Workers in Andhra Pradesh Share Election Hopes and Hardships
People from the state of Bihar often move to other parts of India, like Andhra Pradesh, to find work because there aren't enough jobs back home.
While they work hard in places like Andhra, they still think about their families and villages in Bihar, especially when there's an election.
Some of them believe that life in Bihar has gotten much better with new roads, more schools, and safer nights.
They credit the current leader, Nitish Kumar, for these improvements and want him to continue.
However, others disagree, saying that jobs are still scarce, corruption is a big problem, and even educated people struggle to find good work.
They miss their homes but feel forced to stay where they can earn a little more, even if it means working very long hours.
Some hope that a different leader, Tejasvi Yadav, might bring more jobs.
Their votes are in Bihar, but their daily lives are in Andhra Pradesh.
Bihar migrant workers in Andhra Pradesh express mixed feelings about the upcoming Bihar elections, balancing hope for change with the reality of their struggles.
Some migrants, like Hareram Yadav, praise Nitish Kumar's government for improving infrastructure, education, and safety in Bihar, advocating for stable governance.
Others, such as Mohammad Irshad and Mohammed Nausaad, criticize the lack of jobs, persistent corruption, and the need to migrate for better wages, supporting opposition leaders.
Workers highlight that life in Andhra Pradesh offers better wages but involves long working hours and separation from family.
The Bihar elections are seen by some as having national significance, with potential impacts on national alliances and the central government.
- Who
- Migrant workers from Bihar living and working in Andhra Pradesh.
- What
- Their mixed feelings, hopes, and concerns regarding the Bihar assembly elections, balanced against their daily struggles for survival in Andhra Pradesh.
- When
- During the Bihar assembly elections (polling phases on Thursday and November 11).
- Where
- Andhra Pradesh (Guntur, Vijayawada) and Bihar (home villages).
- Why
- Migrant workers are reflecting on the changes in Bihar, the economic opportunities (or lack thereof), governance, and corruption, while grappling with their current living conditions and potential impacts of the election outcome on both Bihar and national politics.
Supporters of Nitish Kumar's Governance
Critics of Nitish Kumar's Governance
Development and Governance
Supporters of Nitish Kumar's Governance
Migrant workers like Hareram Yadav and a Central Government employee believe Nitish Kumar's rule has brought significant changes, ending 'jungle raj,' improving security, roads, and transport, and implementing schemes like 'Har Ghar Jal.' They emphasize the need for a stable government for consistent progress.
Critics of Nitish Kumar's Governance
Other migrant workers, like Mohammad Irshad, feel that despite promises, the poor have been neglected, graduates are jobless, and corruption is rampant from the police to top officials, with bribes required even for loans. They lament the decline of industries and lack of new job creation.
Economic Opportunities and Employment
Supporters of Nitish Kumar's Governance
Hareram Yadav notes that opportunities have grown in Bihar since the 1990s, with increased educational institutions and development projects. He is confident that a stable government will ensure continued growth.
Critics of Nitish Kumar's Governance
Mohammed Nausaad and Mohammad Irshad highlight that many are forced to migrate due to a lack of jobs and low wages. Nausaad lost his business during the pandemic and now works long hours for slightly more than he would earn in Bihar. Irshad points out that even graduates end up in menial jobs, and opportunities for government jobs require bribes.
Political Impact of Bihar Elections
Supporters of Nitish Kumar's Governance
Hareram Yadav believes the Bihar election holds national significance, suggesting that if Nitish Kumar loses, the INDIA bloc might gain strength and attempt to involve Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, potentially destabilizing the Modi government.
Critics of Nitish Kumar's Governance
While not explicitly stated as a counter-argument, the differing political preferences among migrant workers, such as Nausaad backing Tejasvi Yadav, suggest a diverse range of opinions on the election's outcome and its potential impact.
- Location of Migrant Workers
- Andhra Pradesh (Guntur, Vijayawada)
- Origin of Migrant Workers
- Bihar (Patna, Rakhpura village in Madhubani district, Lakhisarai district)
- Occupations in Andhra Pradesh
- Hotels, poultry stalls, construction sites, chicken centres, stewards, painters, aquaculture units
- Reasons for Migration
- Lack of jobs, unemployment, low wages, business ruined by pandemic, corruption, better wages (though with long hours)
- Perceived Changes in Bihar
- Improved transport, security, law and order, infrastructure, increased educational institutions, 'Har Ghar Jal' scheme, but persistent unemployment and corruption
- Bihar Election Dates
- First phase on Thursday, second phase on November 11
- Election Results Date
- November 14
