Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition in Bihar and a prominent leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), criticized Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, claiming that the current government has failed to support the “Jeevika Didis,” who serve as community mobilizers. During a recent announcement, he detailed welfare initiatives aimed at women, stating that should the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) win the upcoming elections, these workers will be made permanent government employees.
Yadav pledged that the monthly salary for Jeevika Didis will be increased to ₹30,000. He remarked, “This government has done injustice to ‘Jeevika Didis’. Today is the time to do justice to them. If we come to power, the community mobilizers among ‘Jeevika Didis’ will be made permanent, and they will receive a monthly salary of ₹30,000… We have a vision. The current government does not have a roadmap.”
However, when questioned about the funding source for these commitments, Yadav declined to provide a specific answer.
Yadav also criticized the ruling double-engine government for its recent decision to allocate ₹10,000 under the Mai Bahin Maan Yojana, calling it a “bribe” as he referenced comments made by Home Minister Amit Shah that suggested the money would be collected back. He stated, “They distributed ₹10,000 under the Mai Bahin Maan Yojana for the women of Bihar, which is a bribe. This is a loan; Amit Shah himself said it. This means they will recover this money. Today, we are going to make another historic announcement.”
In addition to the salary enhancement, Yadav announced that the future Mahagathbandhan government would waive interest on loans taken by Jeevika Didis and provide interest-free credit for the following two years.
Responding to inquiries about the unity of the Mahagathbandhan, Yadav assured, “All is well. There is no problem.”
The 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections are anticipated to be a significant contest between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition Mahagathbandhan. The NDA includes constituents like the Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal (United), and others, while the Mahagathbandhan comprises the RJD, Congress, several Communist parties, and the Vikasheel Insaan Party, among others.
Additionally, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj has also laid claim to all 243 assembly seats in the state.
The assembly elections in Bihar are scheduled for November 6 and November 11, with results expected to be announced on November 14.
