Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Bereft of issues, five Ms dominated Bihar poll campaign

Patna: As around 1.8 crore lakh voters queue up to exercise their franchise in the eight parliamentary constituencies in Bihar during the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Saturday, one thing is certain: this poll will go down in the annals of history as the one which was bereft of emotive issues. Instead, the focus during the canvassing was on the 5 Ms: Machli (fish), Muslims, Mangalsutra, Mujra and Modi.

In an aggressive campaign, spread over around 75 days for the seven phases of election in this part of the cow-belt, there was hardly any speech from the leaders of either camp which did not rake up a controversy.

It all started with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav sharing a video of having fish on the helicopter along with his alliance partner Mukesh Sahni, the chief of Vikash-sheel Insaan Party (VIP), who represents Mallahs (fishermen/boatmen). The BJP in general and the Prime Minister Modi in particular objected to the non-vegetarian food being consumed during puja/festive time which was considered an auspicious period for the Hindus.

Then came the second phase of polls. This was primarily held in the Muslim-dominated areas like Kishanganj, Katihar and Purnia where each and every leader from the saffron camp berated the minority community and exhorted Hindus to vote unitedly as “Hindutva was in danger”.

By the time it was middle of the election, Modi invoked religious symbolism with his controversial statement that if Congress comes to power, “it will seize your wealth, including the ‘mangalsutra’ of all our mothers and sisters and redistribute it among those who have more children (read: Muslims)".

When three-fourths of the election was over, and it became apparent that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc was giving the NDA a run for its money in Bihar, Modi, true to his characteristic style, lambasted his opponents here. But, in the process, he went a step ahead and said: “The Opposition, in order to appease the Muslims, can remain enslaved and may even perform mujra to please them.”

Taking umbrage over such unsavoury remarks by a prime minister, the I.N.D.I.A. bloc leaders, in a no-holds-barred attack on Modi, said the PM was unwell and needed treatment. “No PM has ever lowered the dignity of the prime minister’s post by calling the Opposition leaders to perform mujra,” said Rahul Gandhi during the last phase of campaign in Bihar.

RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha shared a similar sentiment. “Earlier we differed with Modi ji. Now we are really worried about him (and his health). Machli, mangalsutra, mujra...is this the language of a prime minister?” said the senior parliamentarian lamenting the level of political discourse.