SAMASTIPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday declared that the NDA, under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s leadership, would set new electoral records in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Addressing his first rally in the poll-bound state, Modi launched a sharp attack on the opposition INDIA bloc, describing it as a group “led by people out on bail.”
Urging the crowd to switch on their mobile flashlights, the Prime Minister took a jibe at the RJD’s election symbol, saying, “When everyone now holds modern gadgets in their hands, there’s no need for a lantern anymore.”
Lauding Nitish Kumar, who seeks a fifth consecutive term as chief minister, Modi recalled, “When he came to power in 2005, nearly ten years of his tenure were obstructed by a Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, which was blackmailed by the RJD. They would threaten to withdraw support if the Centre cooperated with the NDA government in Bihar.”
Highlighting the NDA government’s development efforts, the PM noted, “In the past 11 years, Bihar has received three times more central assistance than before. The state has transformed — it now exports fish and makhana to other states and beyond, marking a remarkable turnaround from the days of dependence.”
“Today, Bihar is emerging as an investment hub. I envision a future where every district thrives with startups led by the state’s young entrepreneurs,” Modi said.
Taking a dig at the Congress and RJD, he added, “These parties once gave Bihar jungle raj. Don’t you remember when a former Prime Minister admitted that only 15 paise of every rupee reached the people? The rest was swallowed by a ‘blood-stained hand’ — the khooni panja,” an apparent reference to Rajiv Gandhi and the Congress symbol.
Modi urged voters to reject the return of lawlessness, saying, “Bihar will choose good governance over jungle raj. ‘Nayee raftar se chalega Bihar, phir jab aayegi NDA sarkar’ — Bihar’s growth will accelerate once the NDA returns.” He accused the RJD-Congress alliance of corruption, adding, “Their leaders are out on bail and now they are trying to usurp the legacy of Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur.”
Calling Bihar “the land of genius Aryabhatta,” Modi said its people would never trust those who “turned kidnapping and extortion into a business.” He added, “During the RJD rule, women, the poor, and the marginalized were the worst victims of jungle raj.”
Recalling the Maoist insurgency that once plagued several districts of Bihar, Modi said, “When I came to power in 2014, I vowed to eliminate Maoism. Today, we have broken its backbone, and soon India will be completely free from this menace. This is Modi’s guarantee.”
Concluding his address, the PM said, “In Gujarat, where the BJP has ruled for 30 years, we broke all records in the last assembly polls. The same happened in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Haryana. I am confident that under Nitish Kumar, Bihar too will set new records.”
Taking a final swipe at RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav — the INDIA bloc’s CM face — and his father Lalu Prasad, both accused in the land-for-jobs scam, Modi said, “The people of Bihar cannot trust those who are out on bail.”
