Bihar will be the first state to hold assembly elections during the Covid-19 pandemic. Elaborate arrangements are being made for protection, and three days of voting instead of the expected five constitute one broad safety measure. Mismanagement of the infection had been one of the charges against the Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance government, already weighted by the 15-year incumbency of the chief minister — with a break — and his Janata Dal (United). But recent changes appear to have improved infection control, although the Opposition doubts that. The impact of the new agricultural reforms will be tested too, especially since Mr Kumar feels that repealing the state Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act in 2006 and dissolving all marketing committees have had positive results. Unemployment is now common to all states — Bihar’s rose to 46 per cent in April — although returning migrant workers are being given some attention. The Bharatiya Janata Party is also courting rural voters; they had been unimpressed in 2015 when the BJP lost Bihar. The prime minister has announced development projects worth around Rs 16,000 crore for the state while the BJP hopes that mobilizing households that have benefited from Central schemes will help.

The Opposition seems to feel that unity may defeat the ruling coalition. The Rashtriya Janata Dal-Congress alliance with the Left parties is not an inconsiderable force. It cannot match the JD(U)-BJP’s resources though, especially now that digital campaigning and technological tools are indispensable. But seat-sharing has not been settled yet, and the Congress has remained non-committal so far about the RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav as the chief ministerial face. It is not just a question of how many seats, but also who gets which. Maybe seat-sharing is stickier for the ruling alliance. With the exit of the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiv Sena, the JD(U) is now the BJP’s biggest ally. Equal shares — the BJP state committee’s wish — may be difficult. The Lok Janshakti Party has not agreed about seats, while seven RJD members, who had won against the NDA coalition in 2015, have joined the JD(U). The Hindustani Awam Morcha of Jitan Ram Manjhi has crossed over to the BJP, and the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party may do the same. Too many goodies. But solutions must be reached: Bihar would be a prize for both the ruling coalition and the Opposition alliance.