It is finally official. Those long serpentine queues of saree and salwar-clad figures outside polling booths in Bihar were not simply a great photo-op. Women in the state have indeed voted in bigger numbers than ever before and they have outdone the men for the first time ever. Data released by the Election Commission shows 54.85% of women have voted in the five phases of the election so far. This is a ten per cent rise over the 44.49% of women votes cast in 2005 assembly polls, and 12% higher than even the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
The huge unprecedented jump has placed women ahead of the men for the first time. In 2005, 47.03% men voted, compared to just 44.49% of women. This election, only 50.70% of men have cast their ballot, which is four points lower than 54.85% votes of women. In districts like Sitamarhi and Gopalganj, voting percentages of women exceeded the men by more than ten percent. In Madhubani, Aurangabad and Sheikhpura the percentage of women voters has gone up by 15% in just five years. The enthusiastic voting by women has triggered much speculation within political parties. Predictably, they have differing perceptions about its implications and impact.
"Nitish Kumar has reserved half the places in panchayats for women. He has given young girls cycles to ride to school. This has unleashed a social revolution and a positive vote by women in his favour," said Shivanada Tiwari, the spokesperson of Janata Dal-U. Bihar is the first state to have reserved 50% of all posts in local bodies for women.
In the last three years, as part of the Mukhyamantri Balika Cycle Yojana, the state has spent nearly 175 crore on cycles for nearly nine lakh girls in standard nine and ten. The enrolment of girls has shot up by more than three times and the dropout rates have more than halved.
But Nitish Kumar's principal rival, RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav countered: "Women have come out in large numbers to vote against the government since they are troubled by the mushrooming of liquor shops, and the rise in alcoholism under Nitish's rule."
Independent observers feel the improved law and order in the state and a greater sense of security may have played a role in drawing women to the polling booths. "Women perhaps felt encouraged to step out and cast their vote given there has been no election related violence this time," said S K Rakesh, chief electoral officer, Bihar.
Whatever be the political spin, the increased participation of women in electoral politics is the most significant trends in Bihar assembly polls. And many believe it signals a big change in Bihar's patriarchal society. Conversations with women revealed they no longer mirrored the choices of their husband, but instead have begun to act as independent political entities.
"We refused to toe the line this time. Women in my village did not vote for the candidate their husbands asked them to vote for, but the candidate they thought was best," said Bindu Devi, the mukhiya of Munnapur, a village in Vaishali. She was elected as mukhiya on a reserved seat four years ago.
The rise in political participation by women in Bihar is likely to be held up as evidence of beneficial effects of women's reservation. Last year, as the women's reservation bill seeking 33% seats for women in Parliament entered the Rajya Sabha, Lalu Prasad Yadav opposed it, but Nitish Kumar was among the few leaders in the Hindi heartland states who expressed his unequivocal support.
19 Nov, 2010 0343hrs IST TNN[ Supriya Sharma ] PATNA
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