Dynamics of Bihar Politics

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The rise of state politics as an autonomous domain invites and requires theoretical attention by students of comparative politics. This study offers a preliminary frame for such a comparative analysis by identifying some key issues that need to be enquired into and offering working hypotheses for each of these lines of enquiry. Before turning to these it may be useful to understand what we mean by the autonomy of state politics and why it needs more attention than it has so far received. Clearly, when we talk about the autonomy of state politics, we are talking about autonomy from national politics. In the last two decades, state politics has broken free of the logic of national politics and has acquired a rhythm and logic of its own. The study of Bihar Politics assumed special significance as it has passed through different phases with special features.. The author has attempted to discuss them in the following Chapters.

Dr. Mohammad Alamgeer, M.A. M.PM. Ph.D. Professor of Political Science has studied at Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh. He Specialized in Indian Government & Politics and women studies. He has been member of several apex academic bodies like Indian Political Science Association. Indian Institute of Public Administration, Association of Muslim Social scientists and Indian Economic Association. He has attended several national and international Seminars. Dr. Alamgeer is at present Head, Post-Graduate Department of Political Science Samastipur College Samastipur Bihar. He has undertaken several Research Projects of UGC and ICSSR on the topics concerning women status and various aspects of Muslim problems in India. His Research Articles on the topic have been published in leading Journals and received a wide appreciation. At present he is working on UGC financed Major Research Project on the topic "Domestic Violence Against women". He is author of following books 1- Impact of Modernism on Contemporary Muslim Women, 2- Naxal Movement an Ideological Conflict, 3- Political Dimension of Youth Empowerment in India, 4- Dynamics of Women Empowerment in India, 5- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar in Modern Perspective, 6- Islamic Diplomacy in Modern Perspective, 7-Minority Education in India.

The study of dynamics of Bihar politics presents a very interesting picture-a combination of factionalism, political instability, castism, economic inequality and underdevelopment. Undoubtedly the leadership of Sri Babu and Anugrah Babu was a mature enough to sustain any sort of factionalism in the Congress Party. The first Bihar Government both in 1937 and 1946 was also characterized by the values of the Mahatma Gandhi and Shri. Rajendra Babu. Its two eminent leaders Sri Babu and Anugrah Babu were men of unimpeachable integrity and great public spirit. An imperious Sri Babu and an humble but very capable Anugrah Babu complemented each other and made an excellent pair of popular rulers, enriching Bihar with wealth and wisdom. But the second rung had started an internecine struggle for power setting the party and the state on a downward course, putting an end to Congress supremacy in 1967.

The second phase (1967-1990) could be designated as a transition period with gradually declining dominance of the Congress Party as well as of the Upper castes and slowly but steadily emerging influence of the middle castes in the political arena. The third phase (1990 and after) is marked by complete reversal of the first phase, that is, marginalization of the Congress Party and the upper castes in the politics of state. This was the period from where the process of mandalization of politics started. Though the main hero of the mandalization process was Karpoori Thakur-the legendary socialist leader, but it was Lalu Prasad who actually mandalized the politics and the administration of the state. It is said that he gave voice to the voiceless and due share to the margignalized section in political power. To him goes the credit for breaking "the culture of silence" and giving a voice to the voiceless, downtrodden, poor and backward classes of the State. Lalu was not the first to talk about social justice, before him people had talked about it for 40 to 50 years. But he consolidated the trend and made a decisive change in the psyche of the people vis-à-vis the fear psychosis among the backward and scheduled castes when it came to dealing with the upper castes." Finally the emergence of Nitish Kumar on the political scene of Bihar as a Chief Minister with a new formula of social. engineering and vision to transform the state into the category of a developed state. Attempts have been made to discuss the whole political scenario of Bihar for the benefits of the students of state politics.

I feel privileged to acknowledge the contributions of two distinguished teachers of Political Science namely, Prof. Mohammad Hashim Kidwai, Senior Faculty Member of AMU Aligarh and Ex. Rajya Sabha member, and Prof. M. Z. H. Nomani, former Principal of Millat College, Laheria Sarai, Darbhanga with whom I remained associated since the student days and was inspired by their association.

The contribution of my wife and children- Neelo, Liza Mona and Sumera the little grand daughter need to be acknowledged who are alway a source of strenghth for me. Lasly I take this opportunity to express my thanks to Mr. Ramesh Kr. Yadav the managing director of Axis Books Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi for his cooperation in bringing out the book.

The rise of state politics as an autonomous domain invites and requires theoretical attention by students of comparative politics. This study offers a preliminary frame for such a comparative analysis by identifying some key issues that need to be enquired into and offering working hypotheses for each of these lines of enquiry. Before turning to these it may be useful to understand what we mean by the autonomy of state politics and why it needs more attention than it has so far received. Clearly, when we talk about the autonomy of state politics, we are talking about autonomy from national politics. In the last two decades, state politics has broken free of the logic of national politics and has acquired a rhythm and logic of its own. This manifests itself in many ways related to one another.

First, states have emerged as the effective arena of political choice. If the people voted in state assembly elections held in 1970s and 1980s as if they were choosing the prime minister, they now vote in the parliamentary elections as if they are choosing their chief minister. In their eyes an individual constituency is too small and the country too big; it is at the level of the state that the voters make their choice.

Second, the nature of political choice now varies from state to state. We have moved a long way from the old Congress vs. Opposition scenario that was replicated all over the country. Nor have we entered a multi-party system in all the states. The Lok Sabha may present the picture of an intensely fragmented multi-party system, but at the state level we can find all kinds of contests: bipolar, triangular, four cornered or even more fragmented.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages