Archive · 16 Nov 2025
Bihar Elections Show Women Voters Are a Decisive Force
Imagine an election happened in a place called Bihar.
Lots of people voted, and women voted even more than men!
A politician who is a Member of Parliament wrote that this shows women are super important in deciding who wins.
For a long time, politicians didn't pay much attention to what women voters wanted, but now they can't ignore them.
The article says that in Bihar, the winning side did things like giving money directly to women, which might have helped them win.
But it also points out that even though more women voted, fewer women were running to be politicians.
The writer thinks the losing politicians need to listen to women better and understand what they really care about, not just give them small things before an election.
They believe women voters are smart and important, and politicians need to treat them with respect.
Women voters played a decisive role in the Bihar Assembly elections with unprecedented turnout.
The incumbent government leveraged women-centric policies and direct cash transfers, appealing to female voters.
A Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls faced backlash for disproportionately removing women voters.
Despite high turnout, the number of women candidates in the election was the lowest in 15 years.
The author argues the opposition must prioritize meaningful engagement with women voters, recognizing their political awareness and agency.
- Who
- Author (Rajya Sabha MP and Deputy Leader of Shiv Sena-UBT), women voters, incumbent government (Nitish Kumar-led alliance), opposition parties
- What
- Analysis of the Bihar election results, emphasizing the decisive role of women voters and the need for the opposition to change its strategy to engage them effectively.
- When
- Following the Bihar Assembly elections.
- Where
- Bihar, India
- Why
- To highlight the political significance of women voters, critique the opposition's past engagement with them, and suggest a new approach for future electoral strategies.
Author's Analysis (Opposition Perspective)
Election Outcome and Incumbent Strategy
Role of Women Voters
Author's Analysis (Opposition Perspective)
Women voters are a decisive force and a politically aware, aspirational demographic whose choices are shaped by governance, mobility, household economics, and dignity. The opposition must engage with them meaningfully and center them in their electoral narrative.
Election Outcome and Incumbent Strategy
Women voters showed unprecedented turnout and a decisive mandate for the incumbent government, influenced by policies and cash transfers.
Opposition Strategy
Author's Analysis (Opposition Perspective)
The opposition has historically marginalized women in electoral strategy and failed to understand their choices, reducing their support to mere cash handouts and earning criticism for their approach.
Election Outcome and Incumbent Strategy
The incumbent government effectively utilized women-centric policy announcements and direct cash transfers to appeal to women voters.
Special Intensive Revision (SIR)
Author's Analysis (Opposition Perspective)
The SIR led to outrage as women, who vote in higher numbers, were disproportionately removed from the electoral register, exposing structural vulnerabilities.
Election Outcome and Incumbent Strategy
The SIR exercise resulted in a significant reduction in the gender ratio of the electoral rolls, though its direct impact on the outcome is debated by the author.
- Location
- Bihar, India
- Key Event
- Bihar Assembly Elections
- Women's Voter Turnout
- 71.65%, 8.8 percentage points higher than men.
- Incumbent Strategy Highlights
- Direct cash transfers (₹10,000 to over one crore women), past initiatives like bicycle scheme and reservation in local bodies, prohibition policy.
- Controversy
- Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls led to disproportionate deletion of women voters.
- Gender Ratio in Rolls
- Dropped from 907 to 892 women per 1,000 men post-SIR.
- Women Candidates
- Lowest in 15 years despite high voter turnout.
Sources
Day after Bihar elections drubbing Congress revives ‘vote chori’ claim
Why EC allowed distribution of scheme funds during Bihar polls? asks Pawar
JD(U) Denies Vacancy For Bihar CM Post, Leaders Reach Delhi For Talks
Bharat Bhushan | Bihar Ballot Shock: Power Recast, Perceptions Jolted
Day After Bihar Verdict: NDA Maps Power-Sharing, RJD Slumps Into Turmoil as Rohini Acharya's Public Outburst
Pawar Rises Concern Over ‘Money Distribution’ Ahead of Elections
Across the aisle by P Chidambaram: Voting is not the END of responsibilities
Modi fulcrum of Bihar win, says BJP; JD(U) too hails vikas vision
Buzz over Nitish Kumar's silence: JDU chief’s seclusion after poll victory sparks several theories
Puzzle and a clue in vote share maths: How NDA beat the Mahagathbandhan in caste calculations
₹14,000 Crore From World Bank Diverted, Distributed Among Female Voters In Bihar: Jan Suraaj's Pavan Varma
"Rs 14,000 Crore World Bank Loan Used In Bihar Polls": Prashant Kishor's Party
Sunday View: The Best Weekend Opinion Reads, Curated Just for You
Jan Suraaj claims NDA used Rs 14,000 cr World Bank loan for Bihar scheme targeting women voters
