Why freebies alone don’t win elections in Bihar
Bihar's economy is growing fast, but from a painfully low base.
Updated At : 07:02 AM Nov 20, 2025 IST
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THE Bihar election has provoked a debate over the rationale and extent to which the freebie culture can be used to win elections. Freebies are not new. The Aam Aadmi Party won over Delhiwallahs with free bus rides, along with subsidies for power and water supplies. Both the DMK and AIADMK have offered household goods like TVs, laptops and mobile phones during Assembly elections. Free power to farmers has been a staple incentive in many state polls. In other words, the relentless barrage of assurances made during the Bihar polls has a distinguished lineage, with many political parties offering such largesse.
