Such is the nature of politics in the state. Not everybody is sure that there is widespread political buy-in on economic reforms. Caste-based politics still holds strong in the state. What if Kumar does not come back to power? Will his successor have the same enthusiasm for maintenance of law and order or development of infrastructure? These are questions that bother corporations.

Kumar puts the blame at the doorsteps of the Centre. Bihar, he says, has not been compensated for the loss of natural resources and industry to Jharkhand, coal linkages for proposed thermal power stations in the state have not been cleared, and there is no clarity on ethanol. The solution, he says, is to grant the status of "special category state" to Bihar.

The bottom line for Bihar is that it will have to depend on its own entrepreneurs for investments -- once locals build a strong foundation, outsiders are bound to follow. Industry estimates suggest that local entrepreneurs have invested close to Rs 1,500 crore in the recent past. Though not large by any yardstick, it does show that there is latent entrepreneurship in the state. But they don't know what to do.

When Kumar came to power, he brought several top industry leaders to the state. Road shows were held across the country. The idea was noble. One or two big names could have got others also to invest in the state. But that didn't happen. Instead, it scared local businessmen. Will we be able to stand competition from large players, most of them thought. Most local businessmen complain that the bureaucracy takes a lot of time to put into action announcements made by Kumar and his colleagues in the ministry. Orders have taken up to two years to get notified.