India, Oct. 6 -- Elections in Bihar, India's third most populous state and a crucible of Mandal politics, have always been hugely competitive affairs with outcomes influencing political choices beyond the region. It will be no different this time as well. The results will shape power equations both in Patna and Delhi, and influence perceptions in other assembly elections due next year. The elections are taking place when Bihar's politics is in a phase of transition. Since the advent of Mandal politics, electoral politics here have revolved around the two poles of Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar. These two leaders, products of the anti-Emergency JP Movement and purveyors of the social justice agenda that emerged following the VP Singh governm...