Lok Sabha polls: In Bihar, inflation, jobs are top issues but don’t cross caste lines

WHILE THE national political discourse is dominated by the issues of inheritance tax and loss of reservation, the biggest issues on the minds of voters in Bihar are inflation and unemployment. However, in a polarised political atmosphere, these appear to have acquired a caste.

So, while Yadavs, Muslims and a section of Dalits blame the Modi-Nitish combine for the price rise, upper caste voters and Modi supporters among OBCs, despite admitting these to be the top issues, defend the government.

Incidentally, for all the political energy being lost on the issues of inheritance tax and reservation, people here are barely even talking about them.

While on unemployment, the unanimous argument among supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears to be the BJP line that government can’t give jobs to all or that there are other pluses to the Modi government, some people make amusing excuses for inflation. These range from price rise being a result of population explosion to Bangladeshi “infiltration”. There are others who cite TINA (there is no alternative).

Amit Kumar, 32, a small businessman in Madhepura belonging to the Halwai caste, says inflation has reached its zenith under the Modi regime but income is not increasing proportionately.

“Small businessmen like us have suffered the most under Modi. Only big businessmen have prospered. But what to do, there is no option. Ek taraf gaddha to dusri taraf aag hai. Paani hai hi nahi. After all, it is because of Modi today that Pakistan is not able to even throw a stone at us. Article 370 has been removed and the Lord has got his place, not just in India but even in Dubai,” he says.

In Bhagalpur’s Sabor area, Mukesh Chaudhary is equally perturbed with inflation and unemployment but he