NALANDA, Oct. 31 -- At Kalyan Bigha village in Nalanda, around 65 km from Patna, people expect Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to visit on November 29, after taking oath for a record 10th time, for something he never misses - paying tribute to his late father on his death anniversary. "Nitish Kumar is Bihar's need, as no other party has his substitute at present. What he has done for Bihar, nobody could do earlier. PM Modi and home minister Amit Shah should clarify that he will be the CM after the NDA wins. Just telling that he is the face is not enough at all time when the Opposition has announced its CM face," said Ram Ittar Singh, 81, at Bihar CM's native village Kalyan Bigha in Nalanda. Terming the talks about his health and age an Opposition propaganda to mislead the people, Singh said he had seen Kumar from close quarters and despite his age, there was nobody better than him visible in any party due to the sheer work he had done. Others like Dinesh Singh, 66, Satish Paswan, Janardan Singh - all engaged in talks near a temple few metres from the locked ancestral house of Nitish Kumar - pointed to the college, hospital, roads and electricity in the village as also in Nalanda . "He comes here without fail and we expect him again after taking oath," said Janardan Singh, 48, pointing to the memorial garden, Kumar got developed in the honour of his father Kaviraj Ramlakhan Singh and which has three statues, including those of his mother and wife. Though not happy with the "invisible" local JD(U) MLA and former minister Hari Narayan Singh, trying for his fourth consecutive term from Harnaut and 10th overall, locals say they don't vote for him, but for Nitish, who should be clearly declared next CM choice for NDA as "awny ambiguity or double game will send the wrong message". "In 2020, the politics within the NDA reduced JD(U)'s numbers, but not his stature and indefensibility. LJP-R chief Chirag Paswan is this time part of NDA and the BJP must have also got the lesson. This time JD(U) is important at the Centre for the longevity of the NDA government and the BJP will be more careful. I think there should be no issue, as both Modi and Nitish need each other and BJP has no choice, but clarity is important," said Ram Ittar Singh. Another one chipped in, with confidence that the tally of Nitish Kumar's party would go up this time. "BJP may find it tough to get the magic number on its own due to lack of leader in the state. In politics, you can never say what shape politics will take after election. BJP, RJD, JD(U) all are same. Nitish remains the person all want to associate with due to the extra edge he provides. It is all about which side carries more weight. But now I don't think BJP will leave Nitish and together the NDA should do better this time," he added. Barely a couple of kilometres away in Mahtawar, the Paswans were, however, had a different tune. They were equally not impressed with the local MLA, but talked of change despite admitting having availed the increased pension of Rs.1,100/month and Rs.10,000 to women under CM Rozgar Yojana . "For the poor, not much has been done in last 20 years, but something they are doing now due to pressure. There is a lot of talk about women, but not youth. The compensation for land has also gone to the big people. I have got Rs.10,000 and bought a sewing machine, but that is not enough. Ultimately, everyone wants children to get education and livelihood. We will vote for whoever talks about us -- be it Mahagathbandhan or Jan Suraaj. There should be change, as that is good," said Jeevika worker Ravita Devi, as other women from adjacent houses joined her The consciousness among the voters -- irrespective of class -- about their rights and the politics of opportunism is conspicuous, as they have started getting a hang of poll-time announcements and sops. "Those living in villages are not fools... they have the wisdom. Here youth remain unmarried till the age of 35-40 waiting for jobs. It is better to keep changing government. At least during election time they wake up out of fear of losing chair. '... Chuanav baad sab apna rasta Jayega, Nitish bhi apna rasta khojenge, hum log jahan the, wahin rahenge. (It is all a game of chair. After polls, everyone will go their own way, Nitish will also find his way, while we will remain stranded where we are)," said Kalendea Paswan, 30 and Love Paswan, 45. At Nalanda, Santosh Kumar, 50, a college employee, said Nitish was needed in Bihar for his work, but it was a fact that age and health spared none. "I cannot say much, except that he has done a lot of work, which nobody could have imagined till a couple of decades ago. How long he will be there, is difficult to say, but there seems to be none to replace him. During election time, everyone talks big, but he has delivered," he added. Kalyan Bigha is a model village with amenities like a shooting range. Nalanda as a whole has undergone transformation, connected by highways and having architectural marvels like Nalanda University close to the Nalanda ruins, Rajgir Sports Complex, International Cricket Stadium, proposed international airport and many more -- all during the Nitish regime. "Nitish Kumar may be ageing, but that should not be a yardstick to dislodge him. Anyone doing so will do it at their own risk," said Ranjit Kumar,45, close to Kalyan Bigha....