NDA’s Bigwigs Lead Fierce Attack on Mahagathbandhan

New Delhi/Patna: The campaign for 122 seats in the Bihar Assembly to go to polls in the second and final phase on November 11 ended on Sunday; Leaders of the ruling NDA, including Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, launched a fierce attack on the Opposition Mahagathbandhan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the “enthusiasm and effort” of the staff in the field and expressed confidence of “spectacular results” on November 14, when the votes will be counted.

Mr. Modi wrote on

Key seats going to polls in the second phase include Chakai, where JD(U) minister Sumit Kumar Singh is seeking re-election; BJP MLA Shreyasi Singh’s Jamui; JD(U) minister Leshi Singh’s Dhamdaha and BJP minister Neeraj Kumar Singh’s Chhatapur. After voting for the second and final phase of Bihar ends on Tuesday, all eyes will be on the exit poll predictions, which will provide the first indication of whether the ruling or Opposition alliance has an advantage before the results are declared on November 14.

Addressing back-to-back rallies in Sasaram and Arwal on the last day of campaigning for the final phase of Bihar elections, Shah accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav of supporting spies. “While Modi Ji wants to build an industrial corridor, the INDIA bloc is trying to build a corridor for infiltrators,” he said.

The Union home minister also promised a future where “mortar shells to be fired into Pakistan will be produced in an ammunition factory in this state”.

“Recently, Mr. Gandhi and Mr. Yadav took out an Voter Adhikar Yatra. This was not aimed at bringing any improvement in the lives of the poor living in Bihar, Dalits and EBCs. It was aimed at protecting infiltrators,” Mr. Shah said.

Mr Shah also criticized Mr Gandhi for his “vote choir” allegations, saying: “If he thinks there is a vote choir, why doesn’t he lodge a formal complaint with the Election Commission?”

“When the government at the Center was led by (former Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh, (Congress leader) Sonia Gandhi and (RJD chief) Lalu Prasad Yadav, terrorists attacked our own territory. On the contrary, now we are beating terrorists inside their homes…” he said.

“If Pakistani terrorists dare to launch another attack in the future, the bullets they fire will be retaliated with mortars. Do you know where these mortar shells will be produced? Modi Ji is trying to build a defense corridor here in Sasaram, Bihar,” the home minister said.

The BJP leader also slammed the Congress and RJD for “trying to stop” the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

“I can tell you the outcome of the ongoing elections in advance. This is my 37th rally in the state and I can tell you that Lalu Ji and his allies will be destroyed at the very first stage,” Mr. Shah said. He called on all people to “be cautious and not be complacent.”

“You must remember that the opposition may have come in a new attire but their poll symbols remain the same ‘lantern’ and ‘panjaa’ (hand) and their characters are also the same,” Mr. Shah said.

Referring to CPI(ML) Liberation, which is aligned with the INDIA bloc, the home minister said: “Under Modi Ji’s leadership, we have managed to eliminate the menace of naxalism. But if these red flag wallahs are given even a chance, the state will again face the throes of Left-wing insurgency that Bihar has experienced in the past.”

Addressing back-to-back rallies in Aurangabad and Sasaram, defense minister Rajnath Singh said the BJP-led NDA does not discriminate people on the basis of religion, caste or creed as it believes in “politics of humanity”. Hitting out at Telangana CM Revanth Reddy for his “Congress means Muslim” comment, Mr. Singh alleged that the Opposition party was trying to divide the country on the basis of religion.

“Did you hear what the Telangana chief minister said? He said, ‘Congress means Muslims and Muslims mean Congress’. What is the meaning of this statement? This statement aims to divide the country. Is this the type of politics you advocate? This is the Congress culture,” he said and alleged that the Congress and RJD were trying to defame the NDA for their “appeasement policies”.

“Congress and RJD are trying to divide the society on the basis of caste, creed and religion. This election is a fight between good governance and forest raj (lawlessness). The same people who pushed Bihar into the era of caste conflict and massacres are now seeking votes. People should be alert against such forces,” he said.