Bihar – Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially launched the National Democratic Alliance’s Bihar election campaign on Friday with consecutive rallies in Samastipur and Begusarai districts. The Bihar election campaign witnessed Modi delivering scathing criticism of the opposition while projecting confidence about the NDA’s performance in the upcoming assembly polls.
During the Bihar election campaign rallies, Modi characterized the opposition as a coalition of thugs led by individuals out on bail, setting an aggressive tone for the electoral contest ahead. The Prime Minister’s strategic choice of venues underscored the cultural and political significance of the Bihar election campaign.
Karpoorigram Rally Honors Socialist Icon
The first stop of the Bihar election campaign was Karpoorigram in Samastipur, the ancestral home of Bharat Ratna recipient and socialist icon Karpoori Thakur. Modi became the first Prime Minister to visit this historic location, paying tributes to Thakur and interacting with his family members.
Addressing the gathering during the Bihar election campaign, Modi drew a historical parallel by reminding young voters about their parents’ role in ending “Jungle Raj” in October 2005. He emphasized that exactly 20 years later, the youth carry the responsibility of facilitating prosperity through good governance.
“The candidates fielded by ‘lathbandhan’ clearly indicate their desire to bring back the old days,” Modi stated during the Bihar election campaign, using wordplay to mock the opposition alliance. He referenced campaign songs featuring country-made pistols and double-barrel guns as evidence of the opposition’s intentions.
NDA Unity and Leadership Clarity
A significant aspect of the Bihar election campaign was Modi’s emphatic assertion that the alliance was fighting under Nitish Kumar’s leadership. This statement directly addressed opposition allegations that the BJP planned to replace the 75-year-old JD(U) president after the elections.
Modi praised Nitish Kumar’s transformation of Bihar from the “dark age” of Jungle Raj, crediting him with establishing rule of law as the foundation for development. The Bihar election campaign messaging consistently portrayed Kumar as the architect of Bihar’s developmental journey over the past two decades.
Sharp Criticism of Congress and RJD
Throughout the Bihar election campaign rallies, Modi launched aggressive attacks on the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress, accusing them of wasting Bihar’s money and precious time. He blamed the Congress-led UPA government for creating obstacles in Bihar’s development path between 2005 and 2014.
“Development and Jungle Raj of the RJD cannot coexist,” Modi declared during the Bihar election campaign, warning voters about the consequences of opposition victory. He alleged that during RJD rule, extortion, murder, ransom, and kidnapping flourished while land was seized in lieu of jobs.
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The Prime Minister’s Bihar election campaign rhetoric specifically targeted the RJD’s first family, calling them “the most corrupt family in the state” while labeling the Congress first family as “the most corrupt in the country.”
Industrial Corridor and Development Focus
In Begusarai, the Bihar election campaign address focused on the region’s once-flourishing industrial corridor that Modi blamed the RJD for destroying. He emphasized his personal understanding of poverty, stating he wasn’t born with a silver spoon and prioritized poverty eradication over mere speeches.
Modi highlighted that Bihar had received three times more funds under NDA rule compared to the Congress regime. The Bihar election campaign message stressed that electricity had reached all corners of the state, symbolically declaring no space remained for the lantern—the RJD’s poll symbol.
Maoist Terror and Law and Order
The Bihar election campaign also addressed security concerns, with Modi claiming to have broken the backbone of Maoist terror since 2014. He reminded voters that during RJD rule, police station doors were closed to Dalits and extremely backward classes while Maoist activities made life difficult.
Opposition Responds to Campaign Attacks
Tejashwi Yadav, the opposition’s chief ministerial face, responded to Modi’s Bihar election campaign attacks by referencing the Prime Minister’s earlier mention of 55 scams in the Nitish Kumar government. He questioned what action had been taken and redefined “Jungle Raj” as a situation where criminals roam free without appropriate action against corruption.
NDA Leadership Presence
The Bihar election campaign rallies witnessed strong NDA representation with all 10 candidates from Samastipur present on the dais alongside leaders including Samrat Choudhary, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Chirag Paswan, Upendra Kushwaha, Nityanand Rai, and Sanjay Jha.
Nitish Kumar thanked Modi for focusing on Bihar’s development, acknowledging that the previous government had nothing while the NDA started development by first restoring rule of law.
The Bihar election campaign’s opening salvos indicate an intense electoral battle ahead, with development, governance, and historical legacies emerging as central themes in the contest for Bihar’s political future.
