Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Cold calculations: On rival fronts, preparing for the Bihar polls

Cold calculations: On rival fronts, preparing for the Bihar polls

NDA and Mahagathbandhan are using schemes and promises to get votes

Rival fronts (मोर्चा, गठबंधन) in Bihar are settling their internal dynamics (गतिशीलता, परिवर्तन की शक्ति) even as constituents negotiate (बातचीत करना, सौदेबाज़ी करना) seat sharing and individual parties choose their candidates for the two-phase Assembly polls, on November 6, 2025 and November 11, 2025. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has had relatively (अपेक्षाकृत) smooth sailing in seat sharing with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (United), or JD(U) taking 101 seats each. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is contesting 29 seats, while six seats each will be contested by the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha. The Mahagathbandhan or Grand Alliance of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Congress, the CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) and others is, however (हालांकि, फिर भी), struggling with conflicting (परस्पर-विरोधी) claims (दावा, अधिकार) over seat sharing and even leadership of the alliance (गठबंधन, साझेदारी). In the clearest manifestation (अभिव्यक्ति, प्रदर्शन) of the BJP’s upper hand in the NDA, it will, for the first time, contest as many seats as the JD(U). The JD(U) had already lost its senior partner status in the alliance in 2020, but its leader, Nitish Kumar, continued at the helm as the BJP did not want to upset the apple cart. In 2025, the BJP appears more confident of being an authentic (प्रामाणिक) platform (मंच, आधार, माध्यम) for the backward caste communities which considered Mr. Kumar as their key leader. Consequently (परिणामस्वरूप), the BJP has indicated that Mr. Kumar may be replaced in the event of (if something happens; in case of, in the situation of) the alliance winning yet another term (कार्यकाल, अवधि), beating anti-incumbency (opposition or dissatisfaction with the ruling party/government).

The BJP’s strategy (रणनीति, योजना) for primacy (importance, superiority, dominance, pre-eminence) involves a combination of caste-based social engineering (use of methods to influence social behaviour for political/economic purposes) and a consolidation (strengthening, unification, integration, reinforcement) of horizontal identities (identity based on social categories like gender, age, occupation (cutting across hierarchies)) such as youth, women, farmers and senior citizens. It is clever in accommodating (include, adjust to, make room for, adapt to) caste interest groups, but is also using state (government, public) resources (asset, source of support) in a brazen (bold, shameless, blatant, unashamed) manner to offer welfare (well-being, benefit, social support, assistance) schemes that cut across (affect different groups; extend beyond, transcend) caste. It is notable (important, significant, marked, prominent) that the BJP, which decries subsidies, has designed (create, plan, devise, formulate) schemes which are little more than (almost the same as, practically, virtually, merely) ill-disguised (barely hidden, obvious, transparent) efforts to purchase votes. A grant (financial aid, allowance, donation, funding) of ₹10,000 to start businesses has reached more than a third of women voters. Between the Congress and the RJD too, there is a cold war (rivalry, hostility, tension without open conflict). As they enter the decisive (conclusive, determining, final, crucial) phase of the battle, the two big parties appear to consider each other necessary but share little organic (natural, genuine, inherent, spontaneous) and emotional bonding (connection, relationship, attachment, association). Their resolve (determination, firmness, steadfastness, willpower) and posture (attitude, stance, position, approach) appear to fall short (fail to reach the required standard; be insufficient) against the challenges. A formidable (powerful, strong, intimidating, challenging) caste combination in Bihar is against the Mahagathbandhan, and the RJD has a past that continues to haunt (trouble, disturb, plague, torment) it. The Mahagathbandhan is trying to match the NDA’s schemes by making undeliverable (impossible to fulfil; unachievable, impractical) promises. Unfortunately for Bihar, the strategies of both alliance groups ring (sound, appear, seem (to have a particular quality)) cynical (distrustful, sceptical, pessimistic, disbelieving) than optimistic (hopeful, positive, confident, cheerful).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.calculation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गणना, आकलन
English Meaning - assessment, judgement, forecast, projection, estimation.

2.front (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मोर्चा, गठबंधन
English Meaning - alliance, coalition, bloc, group.

3.dynamics (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गतिशीलता, परिवर्तन की शक्ति
English Meaning - basic/fundamental cause or force that triggers change within a system.

4.negotiate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - बातचीत करना, सौदेबाज़ी करना
English Meaning - discuss formally to reach agreement; bargain, mediate, discuss terms.

5.relatively (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - अपेक्षाकृत
English Meaning - comparatively, proportionately, somewhat, to a certain extent.

6.however (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - हालांकि, फिर भी
English Meaning - but, nevertheless, yet, still.

7.conflicting (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - परस्पर-विरोधी
English Meaning - opposing, clashing, incompatible, contradictory.

8.claim (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दावा, अधिकार
English Meaning - assertion, affirmation, statement.

9.alliance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गठबंधन, साझेदारी
English Meaning - association, coalition, partnership, union.

10.manifestation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अभिव्यक्ति, प्रदर्शन
English Meaning - display, demonstration, expression, indication.

11.authentic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रामाणिक
English Meaning - genuine, real, reliable, trustworthy.

12.platform (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मंच, आधार, माध्यम
English Meaning - base, foundation, means, forum (for expressing ideas).

13.consequently (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - परिणामस्वरूप
English Meaning - as a result, therefore, hence, accordingly.

14.term (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्यकाल, अवधि
English Meaning - period, duration, tenure (of office).

15.strategy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - रणनीति, योजना
English Meaning - plan of action, approach, policy, method.

16.cold (adjective)

English Meaning - unfriendly, unemotional, unwelcoming, dispassionate, lacking warmth; indifferent, distant, aloof.

17.constituent (noun)

English Meaning - voter, elector, member of an electorate.

18.have a smooth sailing (phrase)

English Meaning - experience an easy or trouble-free process; proceed effortlessly, go well.

19.upper hand (noun)

English Meaning - advantage, control, dominance, superiority.

20.at the helm (phrase)

English Meaning - in charge, in control, leading, directing.

21.upset the apple cart (phrase)

English Meaning - to spoil a plan or an arrangement; disturb the present situation or condition; disrupt, damage, thwart, obstruct, hinder, hamper, stall, prevent.

22.in the event of (phrase)

English Meaning - if something happens; in case of, in the situation of.

23.anti-incumbency (noun)

English Meaning - opposition or dissatisfaction with the ruling party/government.

24.primacy (noun)

English Meaning - importance, superiority, dominance, pre-eminence.

25.social engineering (noun)

English Meaning - use of methods to influence social behaviour for political/economic purposes.

26.consolidation (noun)

English Meaning - strengthening, unification, integration, reinforcement.

27.horizontal identity (noun)

English Meaning - identity based on social categories like gender, age, occupation (cutting across hierarchies).

28.vertical identity (noun)

English Meaning - identity based on hierarchical divisions such as caste, class, religion.

29.identity (noun)

English Meaning - a social category, a set of persons marked by a label and distinguished by rules deciding membership and (alleged) characteristic features or attributes; individuality, character, originality.

30.accommodate (verb)

English Meaning - include, adjust to, make room for, adapt to.

31.caste interest group (noun)

English Meaning - community organisation promoting caste-based interests.

32.state (noun)

English Meaning - government, public.

33.resource (noun)

English Meaning - asset, source of support.

34.brazen (adjective)

English Meaning - bold, shameless, blatant, unashamed.

35.welfare (noun)

English Meaning - well-being, benefit, social support, assistance.

36.cut across (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - affect different groups; extend beyond, transcend.

37.notable (adjective)

English Meaning - important, significant, marked, prominent.

38.decry (verb)

English Meaning - criticise publicly, condemn, denounce, censure.

39.subsidy (noun)

English Meaning - financial aid/support/assistance (by government).

40.design (verb)

English Meaning - create, plan, devise, formulate.

41.little more than (phrase)

English Meaning - almost the same as, practically, virtually, merely.

42.ill-disguised (adjective)

English Meaning - barely hidden, obvious, transparent.

43.grant (noun)

English Meaning - financial aid, allowance, donation, funding.

44.cold war (noun)

English Meaning - rivalry, hostility, tension without open conflict.

45.decisive (adjective)

English Meaning - conclusive, determining, final, crucial.

46.organic (adjective)

English Meaning - natural, genuine, inherent, spontaneous.

47.bonding (noun)

English Meaning - connection, relationship, attachment, association.

48.resolve (noun)

English Meaning - determination, firmness, steadfastness, willpower.

49.posture (noun)

English Meaning - attitude, stance, position, approach.

50.fall short (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - fail to reach the required standard; be insufficient.

51.formidable (adjective)

English Meaning - powerful, strong, intimidating, challenging.

52.haunt (verb)

English Meaning - trouble, disturb, plague, torment.

53.undeliverable (adjective)

English Meaning - impossible to fulfil; unachievable, impractical.

54.ring (verb)

English Meaning - sound, appear, seem (to have a particular quality).

55.cynical (adjective)

English Meaning - distrustful, sceptical, pessimistic, disbelieving.

56.optimistic (adjective)

English Meaning - hopeful, positive, confident, cheerful.