The BJP-led NDA on Thursday kicked off its poll campaign by flagging off 160 Parivartan Raths which will cover the length and breadth of poll-bound Bihar to take the alliance’s campaign for change.
Braving a steady drizzle, BJP president Amit Shah appealed to the people to shun caste and religious considerations and vote for development. The entire NDA, he said, is united under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also did not forget to point out that Modi belonged to an extremely backward caste and has been working hard for the welfare of the poor.
Amid the slogan “Har kone se yehi lalkar, parivartan path par chala Bihar,” Shah explained the concept of sending raths to all the 43,000 villages spread over 534 blocks and 38 districts. “These raths will herald the change in Bihar, change for good, change for better law and order, health care, education, governance and delivery system. These raths will go the people as messengers of Narendra Modi,” the BJP president said.
Hitting hard at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s media blitzkrieg in the run up to the forthcoming Assembly election, Shah said, “We are least bothered about not getting space for our publicity campaigns as he has captured all space for his posters and hoardings. The NDA will win over 185 seats and make Bihar a Congress-free State after a series of defeats of the old party.”
Accusing Nitish of deceiving George Fernandes, humiliating former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and ignoring the philosophy of Jai Prakash Narain and Karpoori Thakur, Shah said Nitish betrayed the public’s mandate by breaking the alliance with BJP.
Shah also attacked RJD supremo lalu Prasad and said he claims to be a top leader of the so-called Janata alliance, but Nitish was not ready to put his face on any campaign posters and billboards. He also said that AICC president Sonia Gandhi did not permit lalu to share the stage with her.
Shah said, “Nitish fought against lalu and termed his 15-year regime as Jungle Raj but today he has joined hands with lalu just for the sake of power. Will this alliance not bring back Jungle Raj and terrorize the peopleIJ Will this alliance not bring infamy to BiharIJ”
The rath concept was conceived by the top leadership of BJP to counter Nitish Kumar’s “Har ghar dastak” campaign which became a hit among the people and also activated the JD(U) rank and file. Shah said 160 raths were being sent and another 100 raths would soon be added to the fleet.
NDA leaders including lJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan, RlSP president Upendra Kushwaha and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Socialist) founder Jitan Ram Manjhi were present on the occasion.
BJP leaders who spoke during the campaign included Sushil Kumar Modi, Nand Kishore Yadav, Shahnawaz Hussain and Union Ministers Ananth Kumar, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Radha Mohan Singh, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Giriraj Singh, Ram Kripal Yadav and others.
Taking a dig at the Parivartan rath, Nitish said: “They have no idea what change they want to bring. Bihar is doing good and progressing and outside its prestige has increased. Now the BJP wants to change this situation. They want the roads and bridges to be demolished under their campaign for parivartan.”