Muzaffarpur/Nalanda/Saran, Oct. 26 -- As the sun sets beyond the dusty cityscape of Muzaffarpur, Raghunath Ram repairs a bicycle wheel outside his home in Pokhraira. Ahead of the Bihar assembly polls, the cluster of shanties, home to around 15 Dalit families, is politically divided between chief minister Nitish Kumar and the face of Opposition grand alliance, Tejashwi Yadav. While Raghunath vows his support and vote for Kumar, his friend says Dalits will support Yadav this time. The fragmented electoral choices of the Scheduled Caste voters echo across the poll-bound state. At Jhitkahiya road in another corner of Muzaffarpur, Jagat Ram, a labourer in Bhumihar-owned farms, praises Nitish Kumar for his development work and ensuring safety to people while adding: "We have not decided anything. Our people will sit together a few days before the polling date and take a call." Manindra Thakur, professor at Centre for Political Studies, JNU, says, "The structure of the NDA appeals to more caste groups than that of the Grand Alliance. Nitish Kumar has positioned himself as a champion of Mahadalits (currently, all Dalit sub-castes enjoy similar privileges). HAM leader Jitan Ram Manjhi appeals to Manjhi votes while Chirag Paswan is the leader of the Paswan votes. In the Grand Alliance, all parties primarily bank of Muslim and Yadav votes." In Dalit enclaves, or tola, people largely praise Kumar for good roads, electricity supply, schools and rule of law. In many Dalit enclaves, residents vow to vote for Kumar, again. "He has ensured safety. Earlier our women had to return home before sunset. Now, we are safe," Dheeraj Paswan, a resident of Marwan, said. The grand alliance or Mahagathbandhan, however, is hoping that lack of jobs, better opportunities, crumbling rural health infrastructure and anti-incumbency may prompt a section of Dalits to consider other options. "Nitish Kumar worked for the development of Bihar. But in a democracy, there should be a change. He has ruled for [nearly] 20 years. If you keep on baking one side of roti, It will get burnt," Sudam Majhi, a shopkeeper at Nalanda's Bihar Sharif, said. A recent survey by the National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations (NACDAOR) - an apex body of SC and ST communities - shows that except for Mushahar, Valmiki and Pasi communities, other prominent Mahadalit sub-castes such as Rajwar, Dhobi, Dusadh (Paswan) and Chamar have not approved Kumar's development works. In the survey, 56% of Rajwar, 50% Dhobis, 56% Chamars and 57% of other SC communities described CM Kumar's work as unsatisfactory. "Overall, only 45.46% Dalits are satisfied with Kumar's works while 48.4% remain unsatisfied. Remaining 6.1% Dalits have not given their opinion," said the report, reviewed by HT. Ashok Bharti, chief of NACDAOR, said, "Our assessment and ground reports suggest that a significant section of Dalit voters might shift to the Mahagathbandhan. The government has withdrawn many schemes that benefitted the SCs, atrocities against Dalits have increased, educated Dalits face livelihood challenges and Development projects in Bihar have not benefitted Dalits." Whichever coalition comes to power, Dalit upliftment remains an unfinished task....