The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in the outgoing Bihar Assembly, Shakeel Ahmad Khan, was among the many Mahagathbandhan candidates who lost the Bihar Assembly polls. In an interview, he reflects on, among other things, the Congress’s and the Opposition alliance’s poor showing, and the role that Nitish Kumar’s “dashazari” scheme (as part of which Rs 10,000 was given to eligible women beneficiaries). Excerpts:

What went wrong for the Mahagathbandhan and the Congress?

The government machinery of Jeevika workers. There was no reason for them to be present in and around polling booths. In my own constituency (Kadwa), I saw Jeevika didis showing the message of Rs 10,000 being credited in their accounts to voters in the queue. The Election Commission (EC) should have paid attention a

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