1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's readiness to play communal politics has cost BJP Bihar. He did not take a firm stand against the shrill statements of saffron leaders. In the process he lowered the status of his office and lost Bihar too. The BJP will have to rework its attitude towards Muslims for the 2019 election: this is the message of Bihar. Bihar has rejected the shrill Hindutva of RSS-BJP-Modi-Shah. 2. Loud and divisive election campaigning style could not taint Nitish Kumar’s image or dent his masterstroke of tying up with a tainted Lalu. It was the match between Modi and Nitish and Nitish has won. 3. Bihar rejected Modi-Shah’s “idea of Bihar.” Modi-Shah were branded as “ baharis” and Bihar selected a Bihari with a vengeance. Familiarity breeds security in voter’s mind. 4. The Muslim vote bank has not lost potency under the BJP raj and can play a contributory role in defeating or restricting a strident BJP, nationwide. 5. The BJP proved less credible in matters of social justice than the JD-U and the RJD whose leaders have been nurtured by the ideals of Ram Manohar Lohia and Karpoori Thakur. Lalu and Nitish are leaders when it comes to the OBC, EBC and poor while BJP in Bihar remains largely the party of forward classes dominated by Bhumihars. 6. Mohan Bhagwat’s statement on revisiting the reservation policy was nemesis for Modi-Shah. 7. BJP can’t have its cake and eat it too. Mandal and Kamandal can’t go together. Mandal divides Hindu castes. Kamandal survives on Hindu unity. Amit Shah may have learnt his lesson the hard way. 8. Modi’s popularity has started to have diminishing returns. The rule at the Centre is lacklustre and Biharis have said it loud and clear. 9. Lalu Yadav’s earthy responses and one-liners gave fitting reply to Modi’s oratory skill. 10. Modi’s promises have not weighed with the youth of Bihar as much as in 2014. 11. Amit Shah’s style of functioning made many Bihari BJP leaders hostile. They sabotaged the party’s planning covertly. 12. Money, alone, can not win any election in democratic India.
