Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked the people of Bihar to vote for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the on-going assembly polls, and said the Grand Alliance’s win will lead to the state’s destruction.
Attacking Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, he said: “Jungle raj has got a new twin brother – jantar mantar. Don’t let them come together or there will be nothing but destruction.”
Modi was addressing an election rally in Madhubani district – famous for its Madhubani painting – even as voting in the fourth and penultimate phase of the assembly elections is underway in 55 constituencies.
Earlier in a tweet, the prime minister said the people of Bihar see the NDA as a “ray of hope”. “Atmosphere in Bihar indicates people want change. The people see the NDA as a ray of hope….”
He also appealed to voters, particularly the youth, to vote in large numbers. “Your condition and the state’s poor condition cannot be changed without changing the government,” Modi said.
Besides Madhubani, Modi is scheduled to campaign in Madhepura and Katihar districts on Sunday.
“Nitish Kumar is tired and defeated, that it why he is going to Babas. They are making fun of democracy. If you don’t have electricity at home, will it come by doing jantar mantar?”
“Water, employment, no teacher, education – will all this come through jantar mantar,” he asked the people in Madhubani.
Modi said the NDA would form the government in Bihar on November 8 and would listen and try to solve all problems of the people.
The prime minister said some women from Bihar’s Karpuri village sent him a memorandum that nobody in the state government was ready to listen to their problems.
“Look at the state of Bihar – there is no one to listen to the poor.”
Modi said the women, who expressed their anguish in the memorandum, have not received education and can’t write. “The state where the voice of Nalanda boomed across the world, women born after independence still cannot write.”
He also targeted Congress president Sonia Gandhi, whose party is a part of the Grand Alliance along with the Janata Dal-United and the Rashtriya Janata Dal.
“Madam Sonia ji, you ruled (Bihar) for 35 years, Lalu ji, Nitish ji you ruled for 25 years, this is proof of your negligence.”
Modi said Bihar needs two engines to come out of the hole of backwardness – one from Patna and the other from Delhi.
“You have given one engine in Delhi, give us another one in Patna to bring the state out of its poor condition.”
Modi has also given a new definition of Bihar – brilliant, innovative, hardworking, action oriented and resourceful.
The polls to the 243-member Bihar assembly started on October 12. The final, fifth round of elections will be held on November 5.
The counting of votes is slated for November 8.