FROM RAGS TO PICHES, POLITICIANS LOSE PUBLIC INTEREST IN BIHAR

FROM RAGS TO PICHES, POLITICIANS LOSE PUBLIC INTEREST IN BIHAR

5-JUNE-ENG 7

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

BHABHUA-------------------------Once revered, Bihar’s politicians now face growing public apathy, as their rags-to-riches tales and caste-driven politics erode trust, turning rallies into paid spectacles and sowing seeds of resentment among voters.

Gone are the days when leaders lived humbly, their palaces reduced to huts. Today’s politicians, born in shanties, amass palatial homes and factory empires, fueling disdain across Bihar and India. The public’s once-unshakable faith in leaders has morphed into hatred, with both politicians and voters engaging in transactional politics. Like chameleons, leaders shift colors to suit their needs, and voters, mirroring this cynicism, demand payoffs for loyalty. Caste-based politics and laws have shattered public confidence, with rallies often drawing only specific caste groups or crowds lured by money and promises. No leader today can claim their clean image or character draws supporters; instead, MLAs and workers toil months in advance, arranging food, transport, and cash to pack venues. Some leaders repeatedly dupe attendees, offering neither payment nor provisions, ensuring they never return. Rather than rebuilding trust, politicians peddle hate in speeches and cling to caste-based vote banks, a strategy proving self-destructive. Even local leaders’ relationships with constituents feel performative—voters attend rallies out of obligation, their hearts elsewhere. Leaders now shun those who don’t vote for them, refusing to engage or address their needs, with transparency and empathy long dead. This forces even prominent politicians to buy crowds for rallies, regardless of party. To regain public trust, leaders must embrace equitable laws and ideologies, treating all—voters and non-voters alike—with respect and diligence. Only then can they rekindle the attraction and faith that once defined Bihar’s political landscape.