After Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal-United snapped ties with BJP in August this year, Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah reached Purnia district in Seemanchal (bordering) area of north-east Bihar on September 23, 2022 and slammed heavily to the duo of Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad.
In his address to the Jan Bhawna (people’s emotion) public meeting at Rangbhumi Maidan (ground) of Purnia town, Mr. Shah attacked both Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. He also ridiculed Mr. Kumar for backstabbing BJP and other leaders from time to time for the sake of only saving his chair (of chief minister).
“You backstabbed BJP to nurse your dream of becoming Prime Minister but Nitish babu you cannot become PM through these tricky politics”, Mr Shah said while, the crowd cheered.
“After betraying BJP, Nitish babu went on to sit in the lap of Lalu Prasad but I wish to tell you Lalu ji that Nitish Kumar will betray you again and go with Congress Party to fulfill his dream of becoming PM. He (Nitish Kumar) can go anywhere for power. His only policy is that his chair should be protected anyhow”, said Mr Shah and asked the gathered crowd “could Nitish Kumar become PM?”.
“It was PM Modi’s large heart that BJP offered you to become Chief Minister of the State despite lesser number of seats your party had got in last assembly poll but in the upcoming 2024 Parliamentary poll the pair of Nitish-Lalu will be finished and in 2025 BJP will form the government on its own in Bihar”, said the Union Home Minister.
Listed Nitish’s betrayal in the past
Mr Shah also listed names of those leaders whom Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had betrayed earlier and said “betrayal has become Nitish Kumar’s habit and who will believe him now”.
Mr Shah also reminded people about multi crore fodder scam in which Mr Prasad is convicted; jungle raj of Lalu era, caste wars and asked the gathered crowd: “do you want this government again?”. “Laluji what was happening during your regime everyone knows it”, he added.
“Now, with Nitish Kumar sitting in the lap of Lalu ji, both will take out lathi (stick) rally in the State”, Mr. Shah mocked.
He also warned Mr. Prasad to be cautious with Mr Kumar as he could betray him again for his lust of power.
Taking name of JD(U) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Mr Shah further said he has become a new leader. “You were one of the petitioners in multi crore fodder scam case but those were involved in the scam now have become ministers in the government, Now what will you do?, Mr Shah asked Mr Singh.
Mr Singh, recently, was seen on forefront on snapping ties with BJP and joining hands with RJD to form mahagathbandhan government in the state.
“Now they (the mahagathbandhan leaders) want to ban CBI from coming to the state”, wondered Mr. Shah.
Amit gives break-up of package
Mr. Shah in his nearly 40 minutes address also gave break-up of what Prime Minister Modi had, earlier, promised to provide Bihar ₹1.35 lakh crore package for the State’s development.
He also listed welfare benefit schemes for Seemanchal area by PM Modi led government at the Centre and asked, “Nitish babu, what you have done?”.
Mr Shah also asked people who they want to see as next PM of the country: Narendra Modi or Rahul Gandhi?, and appealed to give BJP full majority to form government in Bihar for the state’s development.
“With BJP in power Bihar would be among the most developed states of the country”, he assured.
This was first visit of any top BJP leader to the state since chief minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) snapped its ties with the BJP to form mahagathbandhan government in alliance with Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress, Left and other parties in Bihar.
Home Minister to meet top State BJP leaders
Mr Shah will be meeting all top State BJP leaders and its core committee members in neighbouring Kishanganj district after Purnia’s Jan Bhawna (people’s emotion) rally. Mr Shah will leave for Delhi from Kishanganj on Saturday.
All top state BJP leaders, legislators and parliamentarians have been camping in Purnia district for last several days in view of making Mr Shah’s rally a mega show.
The four districts of Seemanchal (bordering) area of north-east Bihar, Purnia, Kishanganj, Araria and Katihar have about 47% Muslim population while, Kishanganj alone has 67%.
The four districts represent 24 assembly seats while, four Parliamentary seats are from there.
In 2019 Lok Sabha poll BJP had won just one seat of Araria while, JD(U) had victories on two seats of Purnia and Katihar and the Kishanganj seat had gone to the Congress party. In 2019, both BJP and JD(U) had fought elections together as allies.
The four districts have total 24 assembly seats of which BJP has eight followed by five seats each of Congress and RJD. JD(U) has four seats while, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) have one each.
The Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) had won five seats in last 2020 assembly elections from Seemanchal area but four of its legislators joined RJD recently.
Earlier on September 20, the ruling mahagathbandhan ally JD(U) had announced that in view of Mr Shah’s visit, it would observe protest day at all block headquarters on September 27.
