Purnia rally holds significance with minority votes in Seemanchal

PATNA: The Grand Alliance's much-hyped Purnia rally on February 25 is all set to sound poll bugle for the 2024 general election in the Muslim-dominated 'Seemanchal' region where Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM not only made inroads in the minority pockets but also won five of the 24 assembly seats in the 2020 polls.
Though four of the five AIMIM legislators joined the Lalu Prasad-led RJD last year, the Owaisi's party still holds much command on the minority voters in most of the assembly seats in Kishanganj and Purnia districts.
Besides giving a call for consolidating the Muslim voters in favour of the seven-party ruling alliance ahead of the 2024 polls, the Mahagathbandhan leaders led by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and the CPI-ML's general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, would also make a clarion call for "uprooting" the Narendra Modi government in the Centre on the plea that the BJP-led NDA government had failed to fulfill the promises it made to the voters during 2014 and 2019 general elections.
The mega rally, to be held at the Rangbhoomi maidan, also hold much political significance as it was being held in the same city from where the BJP leader and Union home minister Amit Shah addressed his first big rally in Bihar after Nitish snapped his ties with the saffron party and joined hands with the RJD to form the grand alliance government.
While addressing his Purnia rally on September 23 last year, Shah slammed Nitish Kumar for breaking ties with the BJP. The Grand alliance leaders may give reply to Shah's allegations.
As the grand alliance's Maharally would be compared with the crowd at Shah's September rally, all seven-party in the Mahagathbandhan are making their best efforts to ensure biggest possible crowd at the Rangbhoomi maidan on Saturday.
More than a dozen ministers of Nitish cabinet are camping in the Seemanchal region for the last one week to ensure that crowd at the grand alliance rally be more than that of Shah's rally. "Leaders of different allies of the GA have been given charge of certain blocks to ensure supporters reach the venue without any difficulties," said a JD(U) leader.
Of the Seemanchal region's four Lok Sabha seats, three (Katihar, Kishanganj and Purnia) are currently represented by the GA leaders, while the rest one (Araria) is represented by the BJP. Similarly, of the region's 24 assembly seats, 15 are currently represented by the grand alliance parties while rest other 8 by the BJP and one by the AIMIM.
"All GA legislators have been given task of ensuring the participation of maximum possible number of supporters and workers at the Purnia rally as it would be the first joint public rally of Nitish, Tejashwi and Left parties leaders after formation of new government in August last year," said a JD(U) leader camping at Purnia.