Indeed, Bihar’s new regime obsesses about catchwords and phrases. Nitish Kumar was unhappy, they say, with the title ‘Janata Darbar’ for his weekly audience with ordinary citizens. The ritual was renamed ‘Janata ke Darbar mein Mukhya Mantri’ to give it a more humble ring. Apparently there was high-level agonising over the government’s one year report card too: should the slogan say ‘Nyay ke saath Vikas’, justice with development, or ‘Vikas ke saath Nyay’?

Or perhaps the New Bihar was struggling to come up anyway, irrespective of who rules Patna. For a glimpse of that heartening possibility, travel to Kanti block in Muzzaffarpur district, where the Centre launched an innovative scheme on November 19. Bank accounts were opened for labourers employed under the NREGA and they have been given ATM cards. Meet the Musahars among the 105 labourers chosen for the pilot project. An old belief forbids Musahars from consuming money gone “baasi” or stale — the day’s earnings must be spent before the day is done. Yet Musahar labourers of Kanti block needed little convincing from the local NGO that instructed them about the value of their new bank accounts. Now they can’t be cheated out of their wages, they tell you, by the mukhiya or thekedar or both.

Actually, the search for a defining image may turn out to be futile in a state where the old slogans have all failed and new promises are still being honed. But while change is a tenuous thing at year’s end in Bihar, it is much easier to plot the challenges that lie in its path.

... contd.