Bihar Election Results: Neofascism Gains as Opposition is in Disarray
Bihar Assembly elections were held in the specific situation in which the Election Commission (ECI), which has already been transformed into an executive arm of the fascist regime and the entire administrative machinery and police are under the total command of the “double engine government”. More concretely, around 55% of the 65 lakh voters that SIR deleted from the electoral rolls were Muslims, Dalits, Adivasis and women. On the other hand, according to reports, another 14 lakh duplicate voters were added to the rolls. Further, in gross violation of the Model Code Conduct, the ECI allowed direct transfer of ₹10000 each to 25 lakh women. To be precise, using the ECI together with its control over administration and police, it was easy for the fascist regime to keep everything connected with election under its stranglehold.
Even at this critical situation, the Opposition Alliance, devoid of a clear-cut anti-fascist alternative, and due to basic ideological-political weakness, exhibited its total organisational disarray throughout the election process. Except for the issue of “Vote Chori”, fundamental questions such as Caste Census, neoliberal policies, etc, were not addressed properly. As such, the so-called Mahagathbandhan alienated itself from the most oppressed Dalits and the poorest of the poor voters. On the other hand, the fascist RSS-BJP with the double engine regime at its disposal could easily manipulate the situation by ‘deconstructing’ the oppressed caste sections through Hindutva ideological offensives together with a whole set of freebies and doles in continuation of the targeted populist programs like Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana already in vogue.
Most ignominious was the conspicuous disunity among various constituents of the Mahagathbandhan in the name of seat-sharing coupled the presence of a whole set of spoilers like Kishore’s JSP. Internal quarrels including “friendly fights” for personal and opportunistic gains and devoid of any anti-fascist orientation among the constituents of Mahagathbandhan continued throughout the election process. Instead of a badly needed anti-fascist unity and minimum program, each Constituent was campaigning based on individual preferences. As such, in spite of a favourable objective situation, the opposition miserably failed to build up an effective anti-fascist electoral offensive.
Ultimately, Bihar election is a typical case as to how fascism through its total command over State power and the election machinery at its command, can manipulate the will of the people through the facade of elections. It is high time for all concerned to self-critically evaluate the efficacy of the tools and methods being used in the parliamentary struggle. It is also a grand lesson for all anti-fascist democratic forces and all concerned people together with the working and toiling masses and all oppressed peoples to reorient their understanding and approach towards resisting and overcoming RSS fascism in the days ahead.
Polit Bureau
CPI (ML) Red Star
New Delhi
14.11.2025
