'Jungle Raj in Bihar': Amit Shah & Nitish Kumar Lock Horns as Parties Hold Simultaneous Rallies in State

With the 2024 assembly elections slowly approaching in Bihar, parties have geared up to put their best foot forward, while hitting out at those in opposition. As poll campaigns begin in the state, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a rally in Patna and addressed BJP supporters on Saturday. At the same time, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav held a joint rally of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ in Purnea.

Addressing BJP supporters, Amit Shah took a swipe at Nitish Kumar and said, “He is sitting in Lalu Yadav’s lap. We made him CM but he dreams of becoming the Prime Minister and Bihar’s pathetic condition is because of his aspirations.” He further said, “Crimes like corruption, murder, smuggling and loot are common under Nitish Kumar-led Mahagathbandhan’s rule in Bihar.”

He also said that there is Jungle Raj in Bihar, which can only be removed if Narendra Modi is made PM again by 2/3 majority. “Every day we hear reports of rape & murder. I want the people of Bihar to give Nitish Kumar and his government a lesson,” he said.

Meanwhile, at the Mahagathbandhan rally in Purnea, Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav said, “The people of Bihar have decided to remove the BJP from power in 2024.”

Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar-led ‘Mahagathbandhan’ rally in Purnea saw leaders Tejashwi Yadav and Lalu Yadav as well. Taking a swipe at BJP, Kumar said, “When we left them (BJP), we got calls from all corners in the country congratulating us. They try to create a divide among Hindus and Muslims.”

Further, Kumar alleged that BJP did nothing for Bihar in 8 years. “They promised help to Bihar but it was never accomplished in 8 years. We are even ready to give them lands but they wouldn’t start any project here,” he said.

BJP vs Nitish-led Mahagathbandhan was at full display in the state. Amit Shah began his tour of the state with a public meeting in Balmiki Nagar Lok Sabha constituency, BJP’s stronghold that was given away to the chief minister’s JD(U) in 2019 as part of seat-sharing arrangements.

This coincided with the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ rally at Purnea, more than 400 km away. They were joined by smaller allies like the Congress and the Left, trying to display “united opposition.”

Talking about fake liquor-related deaths in Bihar, Amit Shah said, “PM Modi gave 3 projects worth Rs 15,000 crores to Bihar. When Lalu Yadav & Nitish Kumar were in the Union Ministry under the UPA government how much money did they give to Bihar? Modi Ji gave Rs 1,09,000 crore.”

Ahead of the Purnea event, Tejashwi Yadav had taken potshots at BJP this morning and held it responsible for spreading hate and causing riots in the country. “BJP has one job in the nation, to spread hate in the society & create riots. On the other side, we will give out a message of peace and harmony,” he said on Saturday morning.

Amit Shah’s Grand Plans During Bihar Visit

Home Minister Amit Shah represented the saffron party in Bihar ahead of 2024 assembly elections. In Patna, he addressed a “Kisan Mazdur Samagam” organised to celebrate birth anniversary of peasant leader and freedom fighter Swami Sahajanand Saraswati. He will be in the state capital a few hours after the rally in West Champaran district, a PTI report said.

He is also scheduled to pay his respects in the evening at Takht Harmandir Patna Sahib, the world-renowned Sikh shrine situated at the place where Guru Gobind Singh was born and had spent his early years.

“The BJP stands on the two pillars of organisational strength and ideological commitment and the Union Home Minister’s Bihar visit is a reaffirmation of the same. The Mahagathbandhan, on the other hand, has chosen the communally sensitive Seemanchal area to play its card of Muslim appeasement,” alleged Nikhil Anand, state BJP spokesman and OBC Morcha national general secretary.

Nitish-led Mahagathbandhan’s Plans to Drive BJP Out

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led ‘Mahagathbandhan’ held a rally at Purnea, more than 400 km away from Amit Shah’s rally, where Kumar will be joined by his 33-year-old deputy. They will be joined by smaller allies like the Congress and the Left, trying to display “united opposition.”

Mrityunjay Tiwari, a spokesman of the RJD, to which the deputy CM belongs and which is also the largest constituent of the “Mahagathbandhan”, hit back.

“The Purnea rally will sound the bugle for the battle to drive the BJP out of power. Amit Shah’s visit will accomplish little. The Home Minister is likely to attempt communal polarization which is the only hope left for the BJP in 2024 elections”, Tiwari alleged.

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