This year’s much-awaited Bihar Assembly election results are set to be announced on November 14, a date that also marks the birth anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Known affectionately as Chacha Nehru for his love of children, the day is celebrated as Children’s Day across the country.
Nehru’s legacy as the country’s first Prime Minister has long been a point of reference in Indian politics, particularly in debates around development and governance since the country's independence that came with Congress's first government. The BJP has often used it as a counterpoint to the Congress, framing its own achievements in contrast to past administrations.
This year, with Bihar voters awaiting the verdict on a fiercely contested election, the symbolic overlap of Nehru’s birthday and the results will add an extra layer of narrative to the electoral discourse.
On October 29, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had first drew attention to the coincidence of the Bihar poll results being declared on Nehru’s birthday, whilst speaking at a rally in Barh, Patna district, referring to the timing with a mix of reverence and political flair.
“The day the Bihar poll results will be out happens to be the birthday of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. He may not be one of our ideologues, may not belong to our party, but he was the first Prime Minister of our nation. I do respect him,” Singh said.
Adding a dash of political theatrics, Rajnath Singh quipped that a two-thirds majority for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar’s 243-member assembly would be a “befitting tribute” to Nehru. The remark appeared to combine a nod to the nation’s first Prime Minister with a subtle suggestion that development, in the BJP’s framing, is a fitting way to honour Nehru’s vision.
In his rally speech, Singh also targeted the opposition, particularly the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), criticising the party’s governance record in Bihar.
“People of Bihar do not want goonda raj,” he said, asserting that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had largely succeeded in undoing the damage inflicted by RJD’s jungle raj.”
While the BJP has historically criticised Nehru’s policies and the Congress’s approach to governance, Singh’s remarks underline a nuanced political strategy, acknowledging Nehru’s stature while simultaneously using the election narrative to highlight the NDA’s achievements in Bihar. The timing of the results, coinciding with Nehru’s birthday, might have paved an opportunity for this blend of respect and political messaging.
As polling booths close and counting centres gear up, all eyes will be on November 14, not just for the political outcome, but for how the election verdict crosses with the memory of Chacha Nehru. Whether it serves as a “befitting tribute,” as Rajnath Singh suggests, or merely a coincidence, the day promises to be a notable one in Bihar’s political calendar.
