On the eve of the fourth phase of polling, Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, held a roadshow in Patna for Patna Sahib Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Ravi Shankar Prasad. It was for the first time that a Prime Minister had held a roadshow in Bihar.
Starting from Dakbungalow roundabout at the heart of Patna, his roadshow covered Bhattacharya Road, Uma Cinema, and Thakurbari Road, before concluding at Udyog Bhavan near Gandhi Maidan.
BJP workers, supporters and local residents gathered in large numbers to catch a glimpse of the PM. The roadshow is also expected to have an impact on the neighbouring Patliputra seat in Patna district where BJP candidate Ram Kripal Yadav is up against Misa Bharti, eldest daughter of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad.
Apart from Mr. Modi and Mr. Kumar, BJP candidate Mr. Prasad and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary were also present on the vehicle used for the roadshow.
While the event was held at a busy commercial area lined by hundreds of shops, due to security reasons, most of the shops were asked to close, though shop owners waited outside to see the PM.
Residents and cadre stood behind the barricades while heavy deployment of the police force was seen throughout the route. Many shouted slogans hailing the PM, clicked pictures and recorded videos of the event. Mr. Modi covered the 2-km distance in more than an hour. Large banners and posters of the leaders lined the route while women showered petals on him. Many were seen showering flowers from the terraces of buildings along the way.
Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat consists of six Assembly segments – Bakhtiyarpur, Digha, Bankipore, Kumhrar, Patna Sahib and Fatuha. Mr. Prasad is locked in a direct contest with former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar’s son Anshul Avijit.
Patna Sahib will vote in the last phase of Lok Sabha election on June 1 along with seven other constituencies of Bihar – Nalanda, Patliputra, Arah, Buxar, Sasaram, Karakat and Jehanabad.
On May 13, Mr. Modi will hold three election rallies in three Lok Sabha constituencies - Hajipur, Saran, and Muzaffarpur. He will campaign for Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan in Hajipur whereas in Saran and Muzaffarpur, he will campaign BJP candidates Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Raj Bhushan Nishad respectively.
