Bihar Assembly elections | Nitish, Sushil Modi launch joint poll campaign; hit out at Lalu

The two started the day with a public meeting at Buxar, where BJP has fielded Parshuram Chaturvedi as its candidate.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi garlanded by party supporters during an election meeting, at Tarari Assembly Constituency in Bhojpur district, on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi held joint election campaign on Sunday and launched a blistering attack on rival Lalu Prasad highlighting the crime situation and lack of development during his RJD rule in the past.

Reeling out comparative data during 15 years under the RJD and an equal period under the NDA now, the two leaders sought another chance from voters to speed up developent work in the State in the next five years.

The two started the day with a public meeting at Buxar, where BJP has fielded Parshuram Chaturvedi as its candidate.

He is pitted against sitting MLA Sanjay Kumar Tiwari of the Congress.

This was the constituency from where former DGP Gupteshwar Pandey, who took VRS and joined JD(U), was expected to enter the poll fray, but the seat went to ally BJP under the seat-sharing deal.

After launching separate campaign since beginning of this week, Kumar and Sushil Modi moved together on Sunday and sought support for BJP as well as JD(U) nominees on four seats of Buxar, Dumraon, Tarari and Jagdishpur.

In the Buxar rally, former State Police Chief and JD(U) leader Gupteshwar Pandey was not present.

But, the BJP nominee Parshuram Chaturvedi, said he enjoys his support and blessings.

Mr. Chaturvedi himself had taken premature retirement as Assistant Sub Inspector in the Bihar police in 2003 and joined politics.

“Gupteshwar Pandey is not only my boss in police but also an elder brother to whom I touch feet out of respect and he has always shower blessings on me,” Mr. Chaturvedi told PTI .

Both the CM and Sushil Modi kept their focus on the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and highlighted the condition prevailing in the State during 1990 to 2005 which both described as “jungle raj”.

“What was the condition of law and order at that time. People were afraid to step out of home after sunset. We ended ’jungle raj’ and established ‘rule of law’,” Mr. Kumar said at the Buxar rally.

Both referred to corruption prevailing during the RJD regime and Prasad himself indulging in corrupt practices.

“Those involved in self servie are behind the bars today and many more will follow them soon,” Mr. Kumar said.

Mr. Prasad is in Ranchi jail after being convicted in four cases of multi-crore rupees fodder scam.

While Mr. Kumar highlighted “inexperience” of the opposition Chief Ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav, though he did not name him, and accused him of making “anap-sanap” (illogical) statements against him to get “publicity”, Sushil Modi was more severe in criticising him.

“See a man who failed in class 9th and has no history of any family business is today owener of 52 properties at an age of 31. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has long innings as Chief Minister of Gujarat and PM for last six years, is no match to him financially,” Sushil Modi said in an apparent jibe at Tejashwi Yadav .

Sushil Modi praised the Nitish Kumar’s ministry for effectively dealing with the COVID pandemic in Bihar and hit out at the Maharashtra government in which Congress is one of the partners for doing precious little in this regard.

“More than 40,000 people lost their lives due to coronavirus in Maharashtra where Congress is part of the ruling dispensation. Whereas in Bihar, the NDA government by making proper arrangements has minimised the death toll to less than 1000 so far,” Sushil Modi, who is a senior BJP leader of the State, said.

Mr. Kumar also made mention of high testing of samples in Bihar and over 94% recovery rate of coronavirus patients in the State to drive home the point.

The JD(U) President took a potshots at his bete noire Lalu Prasad for merely anointing wife on the Chief Miniterial chair but not doing anything for the upliftment of women during the RJD rule.

“While the leader at that time installed wife on the chair (of CM) before going to jail but did he do anything for welfare of the females?” he asked the crowd.