NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday travelled to Bihar ahead of assembly election to address the electorate pitching the narrative for the NDA alliance. The Prime Minister is scheduled to address three rallies in Sasaram, Gaya and Bhagalpur today and will address nine more in coming days. Here are the highlights:
Prime Minister Modi addresses rally at Sasaram - I want to congratulate the people of Bihar for showing their courage in the face of Coronavirus pandemic. In the absence of a speedy response, the situation could not have been handled.
- People of Bihar have already given their answer. All surveys and polls predict a return of NDA government. All reports and opinion polls are predicting that "Phir ek baar, NDA sarkar in Bihar".
- The sons of Bihar were martyred in the Galwan Valley for the tricolour, but did not let the Mother India bow. The soldiers of Bihar were also martyred in the Pulwama attack, I bow down at their feet and pay tribute to them.
- Before the elections, when the government started cash transfers and when we bought Rafale, they acted like "middlemen".
- The middlemen today are not even hesitating in colluding with those who work against the country. They are now talking about reinstating Article 370 if brought to power.
- They have never cared about you. They are selfish. This is the reason why electricity , road and water which are basic necessities, were not made available in Bihar for years.
- These people looted Bihar in their 15 years of rule. Voters trusted them but they exploited people. And when Bihar removed them from power and instead gave Nitish ji a chance then they got frustrated.
- They used their UPA government at Centre to block development work in Bihar. Nitish ji was in power in Bihar but they did not let him work. Nitish ji's 10 years were wasted.
- If they will come back to power, Bihar will go back in years.
- Let's not forget, NDA has worked for only 2-3 years with Nitish ji.
The BJP and the JDU had agreed to contest on 121-122 seats respectively in the 243-member assembly. The JDU, which has a share of 122 seats according to the understanding, has given seats to Hindustani Awaam Morcha of Jitin Ram Manjhi from its quota.
BJP had formally inducted the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) into the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and assigned the party 11 seats as part of seat distribution among allies for the Bihar polls.
Bihar assembly elections will be held in three phases -- October 28, November 3, and 7 and the counting of votes will take place on November 10.