NDA to break electoral records under Nitish: PM sounds poll bugle in Bihar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited Bihar's Samastipur district, where he kick-started his election campaign for the upcoming high-stakes Assembly elections next month, asserting that under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will break all electoral records in Bihar.

Asserting NDA's return to the state, PM Modi addressed his maiden rally in the poll-bound state and said, "The trumpet of the grand festival of democracy has sounded. The entire Bihar is saying 'Phir Ek Baar NDA Sarkar', 'Phir Ek Baar Susaasan Sarkar'. Jungle-raj walon ko dur rakhega Bihar." (Once again, an NDA government, once again, a good governance government. Bihar will keep those of the jungle rule away).

PM Modi showered praises on Nitish Kumar, the Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] supremo, who is seeking a fifth consecutive term in office, and added that Kumar came to power in 2005, however, nearly a decade of his tenure was hampered by a hostile Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, which was repeatedly pressured by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), threatening to withdraw its support if the NDA government in Bihar received any cooperation.

He added, "The central assistance extended to Bihar in the last 11 years is three times what the state had received from the previous government. The state has turned the corner. It is now exporting fish, a far cry from the days when it was dependent on other states for its own needs. Makhana, which is a famous product of Bihar, has access to markets far and wide."

The PM further said that Bihar has now turned into an attractive investment destination, adding that he foresees a future in which every district of Bihar will be teeming with startups of local youth.

PM slams 'Jungle Raaj'

Taking a swipe at the infamous 'Jungle Raaj', PM Modi said that Bihar becoming an investment destination would not have been possible if the 'jungle raaj' had continued in the state.

Taking a dig at Congress, RJD's alliance partner in the state, Modi said, Don’t you recall how a former Prime Minister once remarked that out of every rupee spent by the government, only 15 paise actually reached the people, while the rest was swallowed by a blood-stained hand (khooni panja), in a reference to former PM Rajiv Gandhi and Congress' poll symbol.

PM Modi added that the RJD and Congress have indulged in scams in the state, their leaders are out on "bail", and they are now trying to steal the 'Jannayak' title of Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur.

Continuing with his swipe at RJD and Congress, Modi added, "Bihar is the land of a genius like Aryabhatta. Its people cannot repose their trust in the RJD-Congress combine, which had destroyed the rule of law. Kidnapping and extortion had flourished like a business. The worst sufferers of 'jungle raj' were our mothers and sisters and those from the weaker sections."

PM Modi pays homage to Karpoori Thakur

PM Modi paid homage to socialist Karpoori Thakur, calling him an "inspiration" for his government. He further said that Thakur played an immense role in bringing social justice to independent India and connecting the poor and deprived with new opportunities.

Mistake to join hands briefly with RJD: Nitish Kumar

Nitish Kumar, who was also present at PM Modi's maiden rally, claimed that the state was making progress with generous help from the Modi-led government at the Centre and urged people to vote for the NDA in the upcoming elections.

Commenting on his alliance with the RJD, Kumar said, "I had brief alliances with his party, only to realise that it was a mistake and I was better off in the coalition I had been a part of since the beginning", said the JD(U) president, who has been an NDA partner, for the most part, since the 1990s."

Bihar elections

Bihar will vote in two phases: Phase 1 on November 6 and Phase 2 on November 11. The counting of votes will take place on November 14.