Chhapra, Bihar: Corruption, along with unemployment, inflation and migration, have emerged as major poll issues during the Bihar assembly elections. Voters are candidly discussing these matters. While touring the assembly constituencies of Arrah, Chhapra, Gopalganj and Siwan districts, we heard the public’s strong opinions on these issues.On the Mirganj bypass in Gopalganj’s Hathua assembly constituency, supporters of the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) debated over the issue of unemployment. But as soon as a JD(U) supporter claimed that chief minister Nitish Kumar is going to make a comeback, a young man promptly retorted: “This time, paltu chacha is making an exit.”A man enjoying padkiya (a local sweet made from dried milk) at a local shop remarked: “The EVMs [electronic voting machines] are rigged. Votes are being stolen; otherwise, this government would have been ousted long ago.”Residents from Jiginna and Matihani villages gathered at Naresh Sah’s padkiya shop on the bypass. A young RJD supporter stated that people are casting their votes for party leader and opposition chief ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav in hopes of earning employment. The government should change often, similar to what happens in Kerala and Rajasthan, and the people must replace the government every five years, he said.Another person sharply commented: “No matter what stance Nitish takes this time, he will not retain power.”An elderly man, Ramachal Chaudhary, said that the public is focusing on Tejashwi rather than the party’s candidates.Rajesh Singh Kushwaha, representing the RJD, secured victory in the Hathua assembly constituency during the previous election. He is now contesting against Ramsevak Singh Kushwaha of the JDU. In their last face-off, Rajesh Kushwaha triumphed by a margin of 30,527 votes.An office of the RJD’s Chhapra candidate, the singer Khesari Yadav. Photo: Manoj Singh.Chaudhary, hailing from Jiginna village, worked at the Mirganj sugar mill, which ceased operations two decades ago. At the time of its closure, his salary amounted to Rs 31,000. He has not received nearly Rs 1,00,000 in provident fund and bonus payouts.Reflecting on those times, he stated: “Sugarcane used to arrive here by train. Three thousand individuals were employed at the sugar mill. The entire region was bustling with activity. The mill shut down when I was still young. Had the sugar mill continued to operate, life would have taken a different trajectory. With the mill’s closure, sugarcane farming in the region also came to an end. Even the affluent have fallen into poverty.”A young shopkeeper remarked: “When the sugar mill was functional, there was a trail of bullock carts that extended for two to three kilometres.”Regarding the election climate, Chaudhary commented: “It is a contest between an arrow and a lantern. Rajesh emerged victorious last time, but his interaction with the public was limited. He is reappearing after five years, but we are all supporting Tejashwi. Tejashwi embodies strength.”He was referring to the JD(U) and the RJD by their electoral symbols – a common practice in these parts.According to him: “Whoever the Kushwahas [Koeris] vote for, wins. All other votes are futile.”Four or five people sat at a tea stall in Malhi in the Kuchaikote constituency discussing the elections.This village is predominantly inhabited by the minority community, and many of its residents either reside in the Gulf countries for work or in other parts of the country. Elders who have worked in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Iraq remarked:“All the nice houses you find here are funded by earnings from the Gulf. Those who earned here could manage only huts and ordinary houses. After Jharkhand attained statehood, all the factories, coal and mica relocated there. Bihar was left with merely potatoes and sand. Earlier, Siwan district had three operational mills, but all have since ceased operations. In Gopalganj, both the Mirganj and Sasamusa sugar mills have also shut down. Only the Harkhua sugar mill remains functional.”A motorcade of BJP supporters in Badehra. Photo: Manoj Singh.Recalling the Mirganj sugar mill, he noted that it not only produced sugar but also housed a distillery. When he was working in Abu Dhabi, the liquor manufactured at the distillery was exported there as well. On one occasion, a ship laden with liquor docked and 600 men were engaged in unloading the crates.A man sipping tea initiated a discussion on inflation, stating: “Before 2014, diesel was priced at Rs 56 and a gas cylinder at Rs 500. At that time, BJP members would hold cylinders above their heads and cry ‘inflation’. Now, with the price of the cylinder reaching Rs 1,000 and flour being sold for Rs 40, they have gone mute.”Another person added: “The value of money has declined.”Meanwhile, a man who was chewing tobacco remarked: “Hey, where don’t inflation and corruption exist? Isn’t it enough that we have access to diesel and petrol even during wartime?”In response, the elderly man became furious and said: “The BJP is a party of thieves. Those aligned with them are also engaged in looting. Industrialists and businessmen are thriving under this administration. Modi possesses shares in Adani-Ambani groups.”A person who had been sitting quietly interjected meekly: “In this regime, the poor, farmers and labourers are dying and nobody enquires after them.”The conversation then shifted to the topic of unemployment. The man who was sipping his tea commented: “Job opportunities have ceased everywhere. That’s what we’ve seen. There were 17-18 mechanics employed in the electricity department of our market. Everyone has retired, yet no one has been hired to replace them. The work is now done by a private mechanic.”Then another voice chimed in: “The government claims to offer jobs at Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000. However, one has to pay a bribe of Rs 40,000 to secure the position. All jobs are contracted. When someone retires, new people are hired in their place at half the salary. Instead of providing jobs, they have formed such a system to profit from it themselves.”People attend a rally of Tejashwi Yadav’s in Arrah. Photo: Manoj Singh.The most outspoken elder in this meeting shared his insights on inflation and connected it to the liquor ban. He stated: “Nitish imposed a liquor ban and transferred all the tax burdens onto households. Liquor is being delivered directly to homes. Previously, when there was no liquor ban, the revenue generated from it was allocated to pay teachers’ salaries. Now, to cover those costs, he has raised taxes across the board.”Rinku Devi, a resident of Dighwa Dalit Basti in the Bhora assembly constituency of Gopalganj, echoed this sentiment, stating that the liquor ban has utterly failed. However, she noted that the government has exacerbated inflation by levying taxes on everything as a result of this ban.An elderly resident from Malhi expressed optimism for change this time around. He mentioned that Tejashwi has provided employment to 2,50,000 young people and should be elected chief minister.Locals in the Kuchaikote assembly seat said the arrow, the palm, the elephant and the school bag are all contesting from the seat, but that the battle is only between the arrow and the palm.The palm, elephant and school bag are the electoral symbols of the Congress, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Jan Suraaj party respectively.A paan vendor from Sakkadi in the Sandesh assembly constituency of Bhojpur district highlighted the rising addiction to hashish, marijuana and other substances among the youth following the liquor ban. He remarked that prohibition has devastated the youth of Bihar, asserting that the ban has been of no advantage. He suggested that if there is a change in government, the ban should be lifted.Furthermore, he said that Tejashwi, during his tenure as deputy chief minister, earned the trust of the youth by creating job opportunities.Chanwa Devi, an elderly resident of the Dighwa village, said that the “poor have been completely drained” and “neither Modi nor Nitish are listening”. Photo: Manoj Singh.Vijay, a tea vendor in Babura, located in the Barhara assembly constituency of Bhojpur district, pointed to the rising use of marijuana (charas) among the youth, attributing it to prohibition and unemployment. He mentioned that marijuana and cannabis are readily available at tea shops, wrapped in paper and smoked by young people.People also raised concerns regarding corruption, particularly in lower-level block offices. Mrityunjay Maurya from Kharpakwa village in the Bhore assembly constituency stated that no work is accomplished in any block office unless a bribe is paid. This situation directly impacts ordinary citizens, leading to widespread discontent with the government, he said.There is a growing demand for change in government resulting from inflation, unemployment, corruption and migration. Ajay, a young man from Banhajia Tola, pointed out that the people of Bihar would not have to seek work outside if jobs were available locally. As he prepares to vote for the first time, Ajay made it clear that he intends to support the opposition Mahagathbandhan alliance.In Musahari Chhapra, which is part of the Chhapra assembly constituency, residents were observed discussing issues related to inflation and unemployment.Rinku Devi from Dighwa village spoke of the struggles of migration, stating: “There is no employment in Bihar. Everyone is leaving their homeland and going abroad.”Another elderly woman from the village, Chanwa Devi, described the dire circumstances, saying: “How can our families survive on a wage of Rs 400? The poor have been completely drained. Neither Modi nor Nitish are listening. That is why we are asserting that it is time to replace Modi and Nitish and elect someone else.”Translated from the Hindi original by Naushin Rehman.