INDIAN politics will keep learning different worthy lessons from the latest legislative elections in Bihar and their outcome. One of the most critical lessons is that the traditional caste factor until now weighing heavy in elections can turn topsy-turvy and affect electoral outcome in the most candid manner. This is evident from voting pattern in the Bihar legislative election. The so-called Muslim and Yadav -- M Y -- factor just failed to click for the Opposition. Much to the contrary, another M Y factor came up -- Mahila (women) and Youth. In most Muslim-dominated constituencies, the Opposition I.N.D.I. Alliance candidates faced defeat. In most Yadav-dominated constituencies, too, the Opposition candidates lost election. Obviously, the Muslims and Yadavs, too, voted non-traditionally -- beyond caste considerations. This has provided reasons good enough to conclude that Indian politics may start endorsing an electoral paradigm shift that has been building up in the past few years.

 

Another lesson is that factors such as Mr. Prashant Kishor cannot be permanent influencing points in politics. There is no doubt that some sections of the media held him up to the skies, but his Jan Suraj Party could not garner even one seat in the elections. Mr. Prashant Kishor might have helped other leaders and their parties to perform well electorally, but in his own fight, he failed miserably to click -- with most of his candidates having lost even their deposits. On the other side, another young man -- Mr. Chirag Paswan of the Lok Janshakti Party made a spectacular showing winning 19 out the 29 seats his party contested as part of the National Democratic Alliance. He showed his mettle by positioning himself properly and rode the NDA wave successfully. It is obvious, he and his LJP have a bright road ahead -- provided, of course, he continues to navigate wisely through the political jungle.

 

The massive failure of the I.N.D.I. Alliance is another lesson to the Opposition -- though it is less likely to learn anything from it. That is because of only factor -- Mr. Rahul Gandhi of Congress. This man has a penchant for losing elections because he unmistakably follows a wrong line all the time and raises an anti-national pitch. In that negative draught, former Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Tejashwi Yadav got sucked and drowned -- proving in the ultimate analysis that wrong and fake narratives can travel only a short distance in public domain, but never to the ballot box. Mr. Tejashwi Yadav may learn a lesson or two from the debacle, but not Mr. Rahul Gandhi. That is his resolve -- never to learn. For, winning elections is never his aim -- disrupting the larger society is.

 

This may lead to another vertical split in the Congress party -- as suggested by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi in his victory speech. The split may or may not happen, but it is clear from the Bihar elections that the Congress party would continue on its suicidal course led by Mr. Rahul Gandhi. The Narendra Modi factor re-endorsed itself once again in Bihar elections. The best lesson to learn from the Bihar elections is about how a mature and seasoned political leader conducts himself and his organisation to success thoughtfully with an eye on the future of not just his own party but of the entire nation. The Bihar elections established once again the Modi paradigm of politics with principles. The common voter sees this clear, but not the Opposition.