The electoral contest in Bihar is spilling far beyond its borders. The Haryana unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a large-scale mobilisation drive to send lakhs of Bihari migrant workers back to their home state to cast their votes in the upcoming assembly elections.
The campaign, titled informally as 'Every Vote Matters', aims to ensure that registered voters from Bihar currently living and working in Haryana do not miss their chance to participate in the "festival of democracy." Party leaders say the effort is as much about empowering migrant voters as it is about ensuring a high turnout for the BJP.
Lakhs Of Voters Across Haryana's Industrial Belt
A senior Haryana BJP functionary told NDTV that the party has identified a sizeable population of Bihari migrants across 10 districts, mainly concentrated in the state's industrial hubs.
"Most of these voters are employed as factory workers in Gurugram, Faridabad, Palwal, Jhajjar, Rohtak, Sonipat, Panipat, and Karnal. We are in regular contact with over one lakh of them. The goal is simple: to make sure they reach Bihar in time to vote," the party member said.
Panipat alone is believed to have close to 25,000 voters from Bihar. While a few thousand have shifted their names to Haryana under the Special Intensive Revision process, the vast majority continue to remain registered in their home constituencies.
Volunteers, Special Buses
To ensure smooth coordination, the party is sending more than 500 'Vistarakas' (campaign volunteers) from Panipat to Bihar. These workers will engage with voters and help facilitate their travel and stay.
Logistics are being closely monitored by top Haryana BJP leaders. Special buses are expected to start ferrying workers from industrial zones to Bihar beginning November 1 or 2. Return journeys are also being arranged to ensure minimal disruption to livelihoods.
The party has sought the support of factory owners, requesting that labourers from Bihar be granted paid leave to travel home and vote, an effort aimed at removing one of the biggest hurdles to migrant participation.
Senior Leaders Deployed For Election Duty
Highlighting the seriousness of the operation, as many as 50 senior leaders and ministers from Haryana, including Union Minister Krishan Pal Gurjar and state ministers Vipul Goyal and Rao Narbir Singh, have been given special assignments for the Bihar campaign.
Half of them, sources said, are already stationed in Bihar to coordinate efforts on the ground and tap into the influence of the migrant vote base.
Chhath Puja Arrangements
The Haryana government has also stepped up its outreach to the Bihari community in the state. Ahead of Chhath Puja, Chief Minister Nayab Saini directed district administrations to make extensive arrangements in Gurugram, Faridabad, and Panchkula, including lighting, sanitation, crowd control, and security at ghats.
Party leaders say this initiative aligns with the BJP's broader effort to build emotional and cultural connections with the migrant population, many of whom see Chhath as an integral part of their identity.
Migrant Voters: The New Political Force
The mobilisation underscores a growing political realisation that migrant workers are emerging as a crucial electoral bloc capable of swinging results in key constituencies.
By bridging the distance between workplace and hometown ballot box, the Haryana BJP hopes to turn logistical coordination into electoral advantage and perhaps set a new precedent for how parties view India's vast migrant electorate.
