Speaking at his first rally in the poll-bound state, PM Modi took sharp jabs at the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, stating that it was led by “people out on bail”
PM Narendra Modi addresses a rally in Samastipur, Bihar, on Friday. PIC/PTI
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on Friday declared that the “NDA under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar” would set new electoral records in Bihar Elections 2025. Speaking at his first rally in the poll-bound state, PM Modi took sharp jabs at the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, stating that it was led by “people out on bail”.
Urging the audience to light up their mobile phones, PM Modi quipped, “When everyone has access to such modern gadgets, there is no need for the lantern.” He was taking an apparent dig at the Lalu Prasad Yadav-headed Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD’s) election symbol.
Praising Nitish Kumar—who is seeking a fifth consecutive term as CM —Modi said, “He came to power in 2005, but nearly a decade of his tenure was hampered by a hostile Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, which was constantly blackmailed by the RJD threatening to withdraw support if cooperation was extended to the NDA government in Bihar.”
Highlighting the development work in the state, PM Modi claimed that the Central assistance extended to Bihar in the past 11 years is three times what it had received from the previous government.
“The state has turned the corner. It is now exporting fish, a far cry from the days when it depended on other states. Makhana, Bihar’s famous produce, now has access to markets far and wide,” said Modi.
He also stated that Bihar had become an attractive destination for investors. “I foresee a future where every district will be teeming with startups run by local youth,” said PM Modi.
Bihar Elections 2025: State will keep jungle raj at bay and vote for good governance, says PM Modi
The PM contrasted this with earlier times, remarking, “All this would not have been possible under ‘jungle raj’ in Bihar. Don’t you remember a former Prime Minister had said that of every rupee spent by the government, only 15 paise reached the people? The rest was devoured by a blood-stained hand (khooni panja),” he said, alluding to former PM Rajiv Gandhi and the Congress party’s symbol.
“Bihar will keep the ‘jungle raj’ at bay and vote for good governance. ‘Nayee raftar se chalega Bihar, phir jab aayegi NDA sarkar’ (Bihar’s growth will accelerate once the NDA returns to power),” Modi declared.
He also accused the RJD and Congress of being involved in scams, stating that their leaders were “out on bail,” and alleged that they were “trying to steal the ‘Jannayak’ title of Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur”.
Emphasising Bihar’s rich legacy, Modi said, “Bihar is the land of a genius like Aryabhatta. Its people cannot trust the RJD-Congress combine, which destroyed the rule of law. Kidnapping and extortion had become a business. The worst sufferers of ‘jungle raj’ were our mothers, sisters, and people from weaker sections.”
He also recalled the Maoist insurgency that once gripped parts of Bihar, stating, “Under RJD rule, about a dozen-and-a-half districts were infested with Maoist violence. Hundreds were murdered, and people feared stepping out of their homes. When I came to power in 2014, I pledged to end Maoism. With humility and satisfaction, I can say we have broken its spine. Soon, the country will be free of this menace. This is Modi’s guarantee.”
Drawing parallels with other states, Modi added, “In the last assembly polls in Gujarat, where our party has been in power for 30 years, all previous records were broken. The same happened in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Haryana. I am confident that in Bihar too, under Nitish Kumar, the NDA will break all previous records.”
In a veiled reference to Tejashwi Yadav, the INDIA bloc’s chief ministerial face who, along with his father Lalu Prasad, is accused in the land-for-jobs case, Modi said, “The people of Bihar cannot repose their trust in people who are out on bail (zamaanat par chhute hue log).”
(With PTI inputs)
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