Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh, right, and Bihar BJP President Dilip Kumar Jaiswal during an election roadshow for the Bihar Assembly polls, in Patna.
Credit: PTI Photo
Patna: Political temperature hit the roof in poll-bound Bihar on Sunday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the NDA campaign, assisted by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi canvassed for the opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc.
Modi, who turned 75 a couple of months ago, fired on all cylinders with back-to-back rallies in Bhojpur and Nawada districts followed by a mega roadshow in Patna.
The PM alleged that RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav was named Chief Ministerial candidate only after his party pointed a "katta", a country made, unlicensed handgun, "at the head of the Congress", which had been reluctant to project the young leader as the I.N.D.I.A. bloc's face.
Modi claimed that a bitter feud was on between the two largest constituents of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, which was poised for "worst drubbing in history", while the NDA was on its way to achieving a record-breaking victory.
The PM's roadshow in Patna, which has been a BJP stronghold for decades, predictably drew massive crowds. Modi later came up with a post on his X handle, thanking the people of the city for their "affection and blessings".
The opposition, however, sought to highlight the absence of Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar at the road show, who had joined Modi in a similar procession that was taken out in the city during last year's Lok Sabha polls.
Shah toured Muzaffarpur and Vaishali districts where he sought to draw a contrast between what the NDA and the INDIA bloc stood for.
The former BJP president claimed that if the NDA retained power, the state which gets ravaged by floods annually, could be free of the calamity "in five years", a promise that has already been made by the coalition's manifesto released a couple of days ago.
On the other hand, Shah alleged, if the RJD-helmed coalition achieved power, lawlessness would be rampant and the government "may have three new portfolios "of murder, kidnapping and extortion".
Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, addressed rallies in Begusarai and Khagaria districts, where he launched a stinging attack on the PM, whom he lampooned for "claiming to have a chest that was 56 inches wide".
The Congress leader alleged that Modi was a "coward" who got "scared" when US President Donald Trump called him up during Operation Sindoor, resulting in an abrupt halt to the military conflict with Pakistan.
Gandhi also claimed that the Modi government served the interests of big business houses, making available for them land at throwaway prices in Bihar. He urged the people to view this in the backdrop of Amit Shah's recent claim that non-availability of land came in the way of the state's industrial development.
In Begusarai, soon after the rally, the former Congress president joined a group of fishermen at a nearby muddy pond, wading through chest-deep water, unperturbed by his clothes getting soiled.
Later, he told the subsequent rally in Khagaria: "I did what I did because I want farmers, fishermen and their ilk to feel that Rahul Gandhi is standing by their side." "If an owner of a big business invites me to a wedding at his place, I turn it down. But if I am invited by a poor villager, I make it a point to turn up", underscored Gandhi, whose family boasts of three former Prime Ministers and whom his detractors sarcastically call a "yuvraaj" (crown prince).
Meanwhile, Tejashwi Yadav, who has been carrying on a tireless campaign, sounded uber confident of a victory when he told reporters: "On November 14, the results of polls are to be declared. On November 18, the swearing in ceremony will take place. Thereafter, between November 26 and January 26, Tejashwi shall ensure that all criminals, irrespective of their castes and religions are behind bars".
He made the remark responding to the arrest of Anant Singh, a controversial former MLA who was briefly with the RJD but is contesting the current polls from Mokama on a JD(U) ticket.
Singh is among 80 people arrested in connection with the killing of Dular Chand Yadav, a supporter of the Jan Suraaj Party. A court in Patna has remanded him to 14 days in judicial custody.
Meanwhile, with just two days left for campaigning to end in 121 seats going to polls in the first phase on November 6, the blitzkrieg is set to continue.
On Monday, the PM will be addressing rallies in north Bihar districts of Saharsa and Katihar while Shah has three election meetings scheduled in Sheohar, Sitamarhi and Madhubani.
The opposition charge will be led by Congress general secretary Priyanka Vadra whose rallies are scheduled in Saharsa and Lakhisarai. The party's octogenarian national president Mallikarjun Kharge will also address his maiden election meeting, ahead of assembly polls, in Vaishali district.
Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath also has four rallies lined up in Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Saran and Patna.