ALCOHOL BAN AND POPULIST POLICIES: NEW DIMENSIONS OF WOMEN'S POLITICS IN BIHAR
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/ShodhSamajik.v3.i1.2026.72Keywords:
Bihar Politics, Liquor Ban, Women's Empowerment, Populism, Voting Behavior, Jeevika Mission, Silent VoterAbstract
This research paper focuses on the changing role and electoral behavior of women in contemporary Bihar politics. Traditionally, Bihar's politics has revolved around caste equations, but in the last two decades, 'gender' has emerged as an independent and decisive political category. The main objective of this research is to analyze how the liquor ban (2016) and other populist policies implemented by the Nitish Kumar government (such as the Chief Minister's Bicycle Scheme and the Jeevika Mission) have transformed women voters into an organized 'vote bank'.
Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the paper explores how these policies have not only increased women's voter turnout but also strengthened their political consciousness and agency. Data analysis clearly indicates that women voting in greater numbers than men signals the emergence of a new 'silent voter' in Bihar. In conclusion, this paper argues that policies like the liquor ban have established a new 'social contract' between the state and its female citizens, alongside social reform, although the challenges and political limitations of its implementation also require reconsideration.
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