A day before the campaign ends for Assembly elections in Bihar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) was actually “Modi Voting Machine (MVM).”
Mr. Gandhi also slammed Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar for betraying the people of Bihar and not doing anything for them.
Mr. Kumar, BJP president J.P. Nadda and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav were among the other leaders who addressed public meetings and undertook road shows on Wednesday in Seemanchal (border) areas of northeast Bihar where the third and final phase of elections is scheduled to be held on November 7.
“This time, Bihar’s youth are angry and they have decided to oust the NDA government from power,” Mr. Gandhi said at a public meeting at Araria in northeast Bihar. He also took a jibe at a section of the media, calling them “Modi ji ka media.”
“So be it EVM or MVM, the mahagathbandhan [grand alliance] is going to win the elections... Whether it’s MVM or Modi ji’s media I’m not scared of them… truth is truth, justice is justice…I’m fighting a war of ideology against this man [PM Modi]…we’re fighting against their thoughts and we will defeat their thoughts,” he said.
Mr. Gandhi also lashed out at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing him of cheating the people of the state after promising to create jobs. “Both PM Modi and CM Nitish Kumar had promised jobs for youths in Bihar in their previous election campaigns… did they give you jobs?” Mr. Gandhi asked the crowd.
During the 2015 assembly elections, Mr. Kumar had sought votes against the BJP. But he “betrayed” the mandate when he embraced the BJP once again. “Pehle peeche phir pet mein….Nitish ji ne pehli baar chura nahi mara hai, do-teen baar mara hai (first he stabbed you in the back, then in the stomach…two-three times….Nitish ji didn’t stab you one time, but two-three times”), Mr. Gandhi said. He attacked Mr. Modi on the issues of demonetisation, nationwide lockdown and the new farm laws.
At the Bihariganj public meeting in Madhepura district, Mr Gandhi sought votes for Subhashini Raj Rao, daughter of veteran socialist leader Sharad Yadav.
Nitish’s promise
At Kishanganj, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar listed the steps his government had taken for the development of Bihar in the last 15 years of his regime. “Development with justice” had been the mantra of his government. “We did a lot of work for the development of the State and the people…and if given another chance to serve you all, we’ll bring water for irrigation to every farm fields and safe drinking tap water to every household,” Mr Kumar said.
Quoting the latest NCRB report, he said Bihar stood at number 23 as far as crime was concerned and its growth rate had gone up to 12.87%.
“Basic issues first”
RJD leader and mahagathbandhan’s Chief Minister face Tejashwi Yadav addressed a series of meetings in Seemanchal area and repeated his promise to “provide 10 lakh government jobs to the youths, if voted to power.”
He condemned the act of throwing onions at Mr. Kumar at a public meeting in Harlakhi (Madhubani) on Tuesday. “There is no place for such things in democracy,” he said.
“Today the basic issues plaguing Bihar is padhai, dawai, kamai, sinchai aur mahangai (education, medicine, income, irrigation and price rise) and when our government comes, we’ll address these issues first,” he told the crowd at Dhamdaha public meeting in Purnia district. “Has Nitish Kumar done anything at all for you?,” he asked as the crowd responded with a “No.”
“Tab chup-chap, Lalten chhap [then vote for Lantern silently], he said.
BJP president J.P. Nadda undertook a road show in Forbesganj, while party leader Bhupendra Yadav addressed public meeting in Araria.
Campaign for the third and final phase of Bihar Assembly elections on November 7 is scheduled to end on Thursday (Nov. 5). Counting of votes will be on November 10.