Patna, Oct 24 (IANS) As Bihar gears up for high-stakes political battle between the NDA and the INDIA bloc, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin the election campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state on Friday by paying floral tributes in Samastipur, the birthplace of Bharat Ratna late Karpoori Thakur.
Prime Minister Modi is also set to address two massive public rallies in the poll-bound state, starting with one in Samastipur at 12:15 p.m. and the other in Begusarai at 2 p.m.
Karpoori Thakur, who served as the Chief Minister of Bihar in the 1970s, was awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour, this year by the Narendra Modi-led NDA government.
These rallies by PM Modi assume significant events in the BJP’s election campaign in Bihar for the upcoming Assembly polls.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also set to lead the BJP’s campaign drive on Friday with four mega rallies across Bihar.
During his address, PM Modi is expected to urge voters to support NDA candidates and deliver a strong message to the Opposition INDIA bloc.
PM Modi’s upcoming visit marks his first campaign appearance in Bihar since the dates of announcement of the election.
He is scheduled to visit the state twice in October — first on October 24, and again on October 30, when he will address public meetings in Muzaffarpur and Chhapra.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also hold two major election rallies on Friday — one in Siwan and another in Buxar.
This will be Union Minister Shah’s second visit to Bihar in a week, following his earlier three-day tour from October 16 to 18, during which he addressed a rally in Taraiya (Chhapra).
The BJP’s state leadership has completed all preparations for the high-profile visits of both Pm Modi and Amit Shah, with local units mobilised to ensure massive public turnout.
The rallies by PM Modi and Amit Shah are expected to significantly raise the political temperature in the state and energise the NDA campaign.
Meanwhile, the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) is also gearing up for an aggressive campaign.
Karpoori Thakur, a prominent socialist leader and former Chief Minister of Bihar, is remembered for his dedication to social justice and the upliftment of marginalised communities. His policies, including reservations for backward classes, have had a lasting impact on the state.
Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Modi launched a blistering attack on the Opposition in Bihar, asserting that the people of the state will not forget the era of ‘Jungle Raj’ for the next 100 years.
He said that no matter how much the Opposition tries to conceal its past mistakes, the people will never forgive them.
The Prime Minister’s remarks came on the day the Grand Alliance announced Tejashwi Yadav as its Chief Ministerial candidate for the upcoming Bihar Assembly election.
PM Modi termed the Opposition grouping not as a “Mahagathbandhan” but a “Lathbandhan” (stick alliance), saying that almost all its prominent leaders – from Delhi to Bihar – are out on bail.
Addressing BJP workers during the “Mera Booth Sabse Mazboot Yuva Samvad” programme via audio conferencing, the Prime Minister urged them to remind Bihar’s youth of the dark days of Jungle Raj.
“Gather the youth at every booth and invite elders from the area to share stories of the atrocities committed during that era. The people of Bihar must never forget those days,” PM Modi said.
Highlighting the progress made under the NDA government’s tenure in Bihar, the Prime Minister said that the state is witnessing rapid development today due to stable governments at both the Centre and the state.
“Hospitals are being built, schools are being constructed, and new railway lines are being laid. This progress is a result of stability and good governance,” he added.
PM Modi said that the youth of Bihar are now confident and optimistic about the state’s future, saying that Bihar has gained momentum under the NDA government rule.
Concluding his address on Thursday, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that a new era of women’s empowerment will begin in Bihar on November 14, when the BJP-led NDA is voted back to power.
–IANS
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