“In this crisis, the govt has kept the plate of farmers and labourers empty, so in retaliation to their insensitivity, on June 7, RJD will awaken the government by beating plates-bowls,” Mr. Yadav tweeted. “BJP’s rally amid ‘crisis of the century’ nothing but political vulturism,” he posted on Twitter. The opposition leader also targeted Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over a letter reportedly written by a senior State police official and later withdrawn that purportedly raised concerns that the influx of unemployed migrants could possibly cause a law and order problem in the State.
Bihar is due to hold elections for 243 seats in the State Assembly by November.
State BJP leaders are pulling out all stops to make Mr. Shah’s “virtual rally” a big success and workers were on Saturday busy contacting and establishing online links with party leaders, workers and supporters even at the booth level. The party had recently formed a seven-member Saptrishi committee at all the State’s 72,725 election booths. The BJP’s Bihar in-charge Bhupendra Yadav and national organisational general secretary B. L. Santosh reached Patna on Friday and had several meetings with State party leaders. “Through this virtual rally the party will virtually launch its poll campaign in Bihar”, a senior State BJP leader told The Hindu. Mr. Shah is scheduled to address the rally from New Delhi at 4 p.m. on Sunday and is expected to highlight the achievements of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s second term. He is also expected to focus on the upcoming elections, which the party is set to contest with its existing alliance partners, the JD (U) and the Lok Janshakti Party.
Taking issue with the BJP for planning a rally at a time when the country was busy battling the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Yadav asserted that the BJP was only interested in electoral victory even if it cost human lives. He also said that the RJD would boycott the BJP’s rally. “At a time when the State and the country is reeling with a pandemic disease like COVID-19 that is threatening to reach the community level, the BJP’s rally speaks volume about the party’s priorities… electioneering at this time is nothing but political vulturism as they (BJP) want to win elections even at the cost of human lives,” opined Mr. Yadav.
The RJD leader also panned Mr. Kumar, who also holds the Home portfolio, over the controversial leaked letter that was subsequently withdrawn. “The chief minister, who himself is State home minister, should answer why his administration thought the migrant workers are called criminals and how they would create law and order problem in the State,” he told journalists, adding “why are employment rights denied to the migrants?” He also asserted that “the Nitish Kumar government’s stepmotherly treatment of migrants will be a major issue in the upcoming Assembly poll”.