‘Now double engine government in Bihar,’ asserts PM Modi

PM Modi guarantees Bihar's development, while Nitish Kumar pledges loyalty to NDA in a public meeting in Aurangabad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi blew the Bharatiya Janata Party’s poll bugle in Bihar on March 2 at a public meeting in Aurangabad while reiterating that “the development of Bihar is Modi’s guarantee”.

Speaking on the occasion, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar assured PM Modi that he would remain with the National Democratic Alliance and not “go anywhere from here”.

“Now there is a double engine government in Bihar and a peaceful developmental regime has arrived in the State. The rights of the sisters and daughters of Bihar is Modi’s guarantee,” the Prime Minister asserted in his speech. He also asked the gathered crowd to flash their cellular phone torches to “celebrate the occasion of Bihar’s development”.

“In the past, the people of Bihar would sit frightened at their homes,” Mr. Modi said. “But today trains like Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat are running in Bihar. The development of this State is Modi’s guarantee,” the PM said.

PM Modi also slammed the previous regime of Bihar and the nepotism therein without naming the Lalu Prasad-Rabri Devi-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) government. “These leaders do not even mention of the governments run by their Maa-Baap [Mom and Pop].”

The dig was directed in response to a recent remark by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. The former Deputy CM had said that the RJD works not only for Muslims and Yadav (colloquially referred to as an ‘MY’ party) but also a party of BAAP (Bahujan, Agda, or forward class, Aadhi aabadi, or half population, and Poor).

“Now the situation has come that even big leaders of their party (Opposition) do not want to contest the Lok Sabha poll. They explore seats in Rajya Sabha,” PM Modi took a dig at them.