Patna:
When the sun sets every evening in Dumri, 180 km from Patna, thousands of lamps are induced, without ceremony, into routine assignment. This is among the 1,000 villages in Bihar that remain without electricity.
Triveni Singh, 70, a lifetime inhabitant, recalls three attempts, starting 1980, to bring power to Dumri, all of them allegedly lacking refinement. "A lot of us paid connection charges. We were told 'it will come, it will come'. A transformer was also set up. Then - nothing," he said, plaintively declaring that he would like to see a bulb light up a part of his home before he dies.
Two months before Bihar votes, electricity is packing heat as a campaign issue. At a recent rally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said time is up for Nitish Kumar, who is seeking a third term as Chief Minister. "In 2012, he had said, 'If I don't bring you electricity, I will not ask for your votes in 2015.' But has electricity arrived? No. Is he asking for votes? Yes".
An audience of more than a lakh in Muzaffarpur roared averral, not entirely unexpected since the area is a BJP stronghold.
Nitish Kumar says his government has improved the power situation in Bihar considerably, with questionable side effects. "Because electricity was introduced to so many villages, in the national election (last year), many Biharis were able to watch TV and were influenced by the so-called Modi wave," he said wryly, referring to the big victory that the PM notched up for his party in the state.
10 years ago, Mr Kumar's administration says, most villages received two hours of power every day. Now, the power supply runs for 10 hours. The state government also says that 95% of villages have been electrified.
In Dumri, residents like Shiv Nandan Prasad are wise to the fact that both state and central government have defaulted on responsibilities. "The Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification walas (proponents of a central scheme), came a few years ago here, the name was put on a board, and then it vanished. The Bihar government has erected electricity poles. But we are still waiting," he said.