Patna | November 5, 2025:
With just a day left before the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has unveiled a major welfare promise — a one-time ₹30,000 assistance scheme for women voters if the Mahagathbandhan comes to power. The announcement, made during a campaign rally in Darbhanga, is being viewed as a key move to consolidate female voter support in a state where women have emerged as a decisive electoral force.
Tejashwi Yadav said the proposed grant, titled “Nari Samman Sahayata Yojana”, would be aimed at empowering women in low-income households. “Bihar’s women have been the backbone of our society. This scheme will provide them financial independence and dignity,” he said, adding that the plan would be funded through savings from “leakage and corruption in existing welfare schemes.”
The ruling NDA, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the BJP, dismissed the announcement as “election-time populism.” BJP spokespersons accused the opposition of making “unrealistic promises to buy votes,” while the JDU said such schemes “would bankrupt the state exchequer.”
However, political analysts note that the move could resonate strongly among rural and first-time women voters, many of whom benefitted from Nitish Kumar’s earlier initiatives like the Kanya Utthan and Cycle Yojana programs. “Tejashwi is clearly attempting to blend populism with symbolism — positioning himself as the face of youth and inclusivity,” said political commentator Ajay Kumar.
With women comprising nearly 48% of Bihar’s electorate, their vote could determine the outcome of this fiercely contested election. As the first phase of polling begins on November 6, all eyes will be on whether this last-minute welfare push can translate into votes for the opposition alliance.
