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The first phase of this year’s biggest elections – Bihar Assembly polls – is over. The final turnout was recorded at 65.08 percent, the highest in the state’s history, the Election Commission said.

On November 11, the eastern state of India, with the remaining 122 constituencies, will enter the second phase of polling. And among them is Muslim-dominated Seemanchal, a key region of 24 seats consisting of Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar and Purnia districts.

According to the 2011 census, Kishanganj has 68 percent Muslim population, Araria 43 percent, Katihar 45 percent, and Purnia 39 percent.

Many factors play an important role in the Seemanchal belt. Unemployment, education and migration are major issues. Interestingly, the controversial Waqf Amendment Act is not on their priority list, reports MathruBhoomi.

Unemployment in Bihar

Fifty-year-old Mohammed Amanulla from Kishanganj says that jobs are remembered only during election time. “Everyone talks about jobs during elections, then forgets,” he says.

Many families are forced to migrate to other states due to a lack of jobs. Locals want factories so that they do not need to travel outside their homes. One such Bihari is 52-year-old Mohammad Naushad. A father of four, he works as a labourer and strongly believes that factories will spring up job opportunities for people like him. “We do not have a single factory here. Young people are desperate for jobs. People leave because there are none here,” he says.

Education for all

Residents also emphasised the need to improve access to education, pointing out that the district has only one college. A few first-time voters highlighted that frequent paper leaks remain a major issue in Bihar’s educational institutions.

They expressed concern over the poor state of government schools in Kishanganj. Mohammad Tauhid Alam, who runs a factory, said, “Private schools are rising, government ones are dying. They’re just serving khichdi.”

Waqf Amendment Act

While education and employment remain people’s priority in the Seemanchal region, chief minister Nitish Kumar faces resentment for the Waqf Amendment Act. Despite all this, people favour him. “The people are angry with Nitish Kumar since he supports the Waqf Act. However, no CM has given us as much as he has,” opines Hasim Raza, a madrasa tutor in Thakurganj town.