The Opposition ran its campaign on the slogan: ‘Generate employment, stop migration’. As per the 2011 Census, 74.54 lakh migrants from Bihar are spread across the rest of India. It is sad that the BJP, at the highest level, conjured up a phantom of anti-Bihari sentiment in other parts of the country, purely for short-term political gains in an election. Migration of people is integral to human development, and there is nothing inherently undesirable about it. The Opposition has argued that the BJP-JD(U) government has turned Bihar into a supplier of migrant labour and has promised to create local employment opportunities. Creating infrastructure and opportunities should be part of any robust election conversation, but that can be achieved while maintaining a more sanguine view about migration. Bihar has high fertility and a younger population relative to other parts of the country. Regional variations in economic opportunities and demographic trends make the movement of people inevitable. Bihar should focus on its education and health standards and build a highly productive and skilled workforce that adds momentum to its own growth by being part of India’s economic growth.