Prime Minister Narendra Modi blew the Bharatiya Janata Party’s poll bugle in Bihar on March 2 at a public meeting in Aurangabad while reiterating that “the development of Bihar is Modi’s guarantee”.
Speaking on the occasion, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar assured PM Modi that he would remain with the National Democratic Alliance and not “go anywhere from here”.
“Now there is a double engine government in Bihar and a peaceful developmental regime has arrived in the State. The rights of the sisters and daughters of Bihar is Modi’s guarantee,” the Prime Minister asserted in his speech. He also asked the gathered crowd to flash their cellular phone torches to “celebrate the occasion of Bihar’s development”.
“In the past, the people of Bihar would sit frightened at their homes,” Mr. Modi said. “But today trains like Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat are running in Bihar. The development of this State is Modi’s guarantee,” the PM said.
PM Modi also slammed the previous regime of Bihar and the nepotism therein without naming the Lalu Prasad-Rabri Devi-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) government. “These leaders do not even mention of the governments run by their Maa-Baap [Mom and Pop].”
The dig was directed in response to a recent remark by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. The former Deputy CM had said that the RJD works not only for Muslims and Yadav (colloquially referred to as an ‘MY’ party) but also a party of BAAP (Bahujan, Agda, or forward class, Aadhi aabadi, or half population, and Poor).
“Now the situation has come that even big leaders of their party (Opposition) do not want to contest the Lok Sabha poll. They explore seats in Rajya Sabha,” PM Modi took a dig at them.
While looking at the enthused crowd, PM Modi said, “The glee on your faces show that fear shall now only be found on the faces of those aiming to loot Bihar.”
PM Modi also referred to the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna awarded recently to former Bihar CM and veteran socialist leader Karpoori Thakur. “This award is an honour to whole Bihar,” he said.
He also listed several welfare schemes of his government given to the women, poor people and farmers of the country. “Bihar will prosper when Bihar’s poor will prosper,” he said amid loud clapping from the crowd.
While inaugurating and laying foundation for projects of ₹21.5 thousand crore in Bihar, PM Modi said, “We start projects, complete them, and dedicate them to the people as well — this is Modi’s guarantee and the way NDA works.”
He also repeated a few parts of his speech in the local magahi dialect to connect with the crowd. Aurangabad in Bihar falls in central Magadh Bihar where magahi dialect holds fort.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also addressed the crowd, while sharing the dais with PM Modi after his most recent volte-face, the fifth in under a decade, to join hands with the BJP to retain his office.
“It is a matter of great happiness that the PM has come to Bihar to inaugurate several projects. The PM had come earlier as well but I had vanished at the time,” CM Kumar said taking a shot at himself throwing PM Modi and Governor Rajendra Arlekar into a fit of giggle.
“Now I assure you that I’ll remain with you [BJP] and not go anywhere. And, we all will do all works together for Bihar,” Mr. Kumar assured the attendees.
State BJP leader and Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary also addressed the crowd briefly amid chants of Jai Shree Ram and Bharat Mata ki jai.
Decided to make 3 crore sisters to lakhpati didis, says Modi
At the Begusarai public meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the slogan “Abki baar...NDA Sarkar 400 ke par (this time NDA government will cross 400 seats) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections). Mr. Modi also added that for him “social justice means empowerment of women”.
“We’ve made 1 crore women of the country lakhpati didis (millionaire sisters) and lakhs of them are from Bihar. Now we’ve decided to make 3 crore sisters to lakhpati didis (millionaire sisters),” he said.
While inaugurating several projects worth ₹1.60 lakh crore, Mr. Modi said, “With doubled efforts by the double engine government Bihar will certainly develop.” He also obliquely referred to the RJD chief Lalu Prasad in land-for-job scam in railways and said, “the country has seen such corruption”.
The Prime Minister also slammed nepotism at the Begusarai public meeting saying, “Bihar has witnessed nepotism for decades. Nepotism is the biggest enemy of talent. It is not only the betrayal but curse of society.”
“When Bihar will prosper, the country will prosper and Bihar will now prosper. This is not only a promise but a pledge, a mission,” he added.
At the Begusarai meeting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar restated his “permanen” return to the “NDA fold” and added that he would not go “anywhere”.
“I’ve full faith that Bihar will now prosper more,” Mr. Kumar said while appealing to all in the crowd to stand up and welcome the Prime Minister in the State.
