After months of intense debate over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, the Election Commission has formally announced two-phase polls in what promises to be a riveting contest in the Hindi heartland State. Too many imponderables — Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s fading health, the revision of electoral rolls, and the entry of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Abhiyan (JSA) — are expected to impact the high stakes battle between the NDA (BJP, Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party, Hindustani Avam Morcha) and the opposition bloc of Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress, Vikassheel Insaan Party, CPI, CPM and possibly, CPI(ML) Liberation.

The typically caste-aligned discourse in Bihar has been disrupted by the voluble Prashant Kishor who is questioning the paradox

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