“LIKE NEHRU, LALU IS TARGETED: A NEW NEGATIVE NARRATIVE IS BEING DEVELOPED AHEAD OF ELECTIONS”

“LIKE NEHRU, LALU IS TARGETED: A NEW NEGATIVE NARRATIVE IS BEING DEVELOPED AHEAD OF ELECTIONS”

13-SEP-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA-------------------------The tradition of blaming the past is deepening in politics, while the public needs direction for the future, not debate—solutions, not accusations.

Bihar politics has once again reached a point where the question of “who is to blame” has become more prominent than electoral issues. Amidst preparations for the 2025 Assembly elections, political rhetoric has taken a new form.

Just as the tradition of blaming Nehru for every historical mistake has become prevalent in central politics, a new narrative is being developed in Bihar to blame Lalu Prasad Yadav for every backwardness, administrative failure, or social failure.

Old terms like “jungle raj,” “corruption,” and “politics of backwardness” are being reused. From rallies to social media, the message being spread is that the state's development has stalled because Lalu Yadav ruled. This strategy appears to be more than just political opposition, but a deliberate attempt to influence public sentiment.

Political analysts believe that such a narrative serves a dual purpose: on the one hand, it stirs up old fears in voters' minds, while on the other, it helps divert attention from the shortcomings of the current regime.

But the aim of democratic politics should not be merely to curse the past, but to improve the present and pave the way for the future.

It is true that every leader and regime has its own mistakes, but playing politics solely on blame cannot take a state forward. Bihar's problems—unemployment, declining education, poor healthcare, and migration—remain as serious today as they ever were. These issues deserve concrete policy discussions, not endless repetition of old mistakes.

Setting such a negative narrative in the heat of elections is neither appropriate nor in keeping with the democratic conscience of the state.

The true strength of democracy lies in the understanding of the voter, and only when the public questions real issues does politics become accountable.

Bihar will find direction not through blame for the past but through resolve for the future.

What is needed is a politics that moves beyond "who is to blame" and seeks answers to "who will provide the solution." This is the true democratic path—and it is also the right of Bihar's next generation.