SITAMARHI: Within the coronary heart of Bihar’s Mithilanchal, the place air carries the scent of Maithili folks songs and the ache of annual floods – although folks had a respite this monsoon – 2025 meeting polls have boiled all the way down to religion, jobs and native satisfaction. NDA is banking on Ramayan symbolism and growth pledges to carry its floor, whereas opposition Mahagathbandhan has performed the migration and unemployment playing cards to counter the “susashan” narrative of incumbent Nitish Kumar, which is central to the “double engine” plank of the alliance, together with PM Modi’s charisma. The thrill began when Union minister Amit Shah carried out “bhoomi pujan” at Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi, the birthplace of Sita. NDA has promised large redevelopment alongside the strains of Ayodhya, which features a greenfield metropolis, Sitapuram. Land acquisition is almost finished, and building – funded by way of crowdfunding – will quickly start on a 68-acre advanced costing Rs 890 crore. This pledge extends past Punaura. The undertaking is part of the Ramayana Circuit: Rs 52 crore for Valmiki Nagar, Rs 31 crore for Pulhar in Madhubani, Rs 24 crore for Panth Pakar in Sitamarhi, Rs 23 crore for Ahilya spot, Rs 13 crore for Ram Reka Ghat and Rs 7 crore for Sita Kund in Munger-Gaya. Folks within the area see the initiative as a lift to Mithila’s identification the place NDA’s confidence is hovering amid a various mixture of Yadavs, EBCs (36% as per 2023 caste survey), Muslims and higher caste Maithils. The promise of restarting Riga Sugar Mill, shut for over 5 years, has made locals hopeful. “This will bring jobs back to our fields,” says Ram Kripal, a farmer. NDA candidate Vaidyanath Prasad is locked in a tricky struggle with MGB’s Congress decide Amit Kumar Tunna. Congress is hammering the “local vs outsider” level, portray Prasad as an import since he hails from Sheohar. But, NDA’s edge is obvious: in 2020, it had received 30 of Mithilanchal’s 46 seats; in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, it swept all seven parliamentary segments right here. Mithilanchal covers 10-12 districts: Darbhanga and Madhubani (10 seats every, NDA strongholds), Muzaffarpur and Samastipur (10 every, Yadav-EBC battles), Sitamarhi (6, migration woes), Saharsa (5), Supaul (3), Madhepura (3), Sheohar (1), and bits of Vaishali-Begusarai. Over 70 lakh voters, together with 10 lakh first timers, will probably be eligible to forged votes within the second section of polling on Nov 11. Girls, whose turnout was 59% in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, have been wooed by way of schemes like help for 1.51 crore Jeevika sisters, an element which may very well be probably the most decisive one in case NDA maintains its successful streak. NDA’s “M3 Strategy” – Mithila, Music, Mahila – is on present with folks singer Maithili Thakur because the star campaigner in 20+ seats. She attracts the youth, countering migration blues. PM Modi and Shah have pushed “Modiwaad + Nitishwaad,” promising IT jobs, sugar mill revivals, and a classical language tag for Maithili. MGB, led by Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD, is eyeing beneficial properties of 10-15 seats, hoping EBC voters will enhance its Yadav-Muslim constituency. Tejashwi carried out rallies in Samastipur-Madhubani, promising one crore jobs, double panchayat pay and pensions. However seat-sharing woes -friendly fights on eight seats – and ‘jungle raj’ jibes are set to harm MGB. In addition to, AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi has fielded 4 candidates (in Jale, Bisfi, Keoti, Darbhanga city), splitting the Muslim vote. Jan Suraaj is contesting all 46 seats. It stays to be seen whom the brand new entrant will damage probably the most, on condition that the struggle is basically between the 2 alliances.
