RJD bagged Bihar CM candidate post from Congress at gunpoint, alleges Modi

ARRAH — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday claimed that the Congress was "never willing" to accept Tejashwi Yadav as the chief ministerial candidate but acceded to the demand when the RJD put a "katta" on its head.

The PM tried to fish in the troubled waters of the INDIA bloc in Bihar at a rally in Arrah, the headquarters of Bhojpur district.

He predicted a record victory for the ruling NDA, which would continue providing a government that was "upright" and "foresighted" and build a "developed Bihar" that was necessary for "Viksit Bharat".

"The Congress never wanted to announce the chief ministerial candidate in favour of the RJD. The RJD secured it by placing a katta (country-made pistol) on the head of the Congress. After the elections, the two alliance partners will be breaking each other's heads. Such elements can never do good for Bihar," he alleged.

The PM, who was visibly pleased with the huge turnout, said, "The youngsters here have filled me with enthusiasm. Analysts sitting in Delhi, who are racking their brains over poll arithmetic, would do well to come here and experience for themselves which way the wind is blowing".

"'Jungle raj wallahs' are set to get the worst drubbing in history. The people of Bihar have not forgotten the 'jungle raj'," he claimed.

The PM said the manifesto released by the NDA last week was “honest” and put forth a “vision” for the future, unlike the charter of promises of the INDIA bloc, which was "a dossier of lies".

Noting that Bhojpur and adjoining districts were known for providing a large number of recruits in the armed forces, he said national security and those who ensure it are of paramount importance to his government.

"One rank one pension (OROP) has resulted in the disbursement of Rs 1 lakh crore, which is benefitting families of servicemen," he said.

The PM said it was "Modi's guarantee" that Article 370 would be scrapped, and it has been with the Constitution of India now in force in Jammu and Kashmir.

"We had vowed to beat the terrorists on their home turf. And we fulfilled that promise again with Operation Sindoor, which has made the nation proud," he said.

Training his guns at the opposition, Modi alleged, "When terror hideouts in Pakistan were being bombed, the royal family of Congress was losing sleep. Pakistan and the Congress have still not recovered from the shock of Operation Sindoor."

Raking up the riots that broke out in the wake of the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Modi said, "It was around the same time of the year in 1984, on November 1-2, when Sikhs were massacred in Delhi. Those who were guilty are being promoted by the party. The Congress has been unapologetic about the carnage."

Indirectly referring to the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' taken out by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, the PM alleged it was aimed to protect infiltrators (ghuspaithiye) who must be driven out lest they capture the resources meant for the people of Bihar.

"The jungle raj wallahs have very dangerous intentions. Be aware of them," said Modi, who also uttered a proverb in local dialect Bhojpuri, a rough translation of which is "the one responsible for destroying the field is now claiming to sow fresh seeds".

The PM, who has been pointing out region-specific instances of alleged misrule during the RJD regime, recalled the abduction of a doctor in Tarari, near Arrah, two decades ago, and the Naxal insurgency that took its toll on Dalmia Nagar, a once bustling industrial town in the adjoining district of Rohtas.

Modi also disclosed that the NDA was planning to develop the birthplace of Veer Kunwar Singh, the ruler of the erstwhile princely estate of Jagdishpur, who was one of the heroes of the Revolt of 1857, asserting that "we believe in development while protecting cultural heritage".

"But Congress RJD are known for being disdainful towards our heritage. They berated the Maha Kumbh held at Prayagraj. Recently, the Congress 'naamdaar' (Gandhi) made fun of the Chhath Puja festival. These people must be taught a lesson. I would urge those who have returned home for Chhath Puja to stay back to vote in this election."