Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said that communal and fascist forces will endanger the secular traditions of the State.
Addressing an election rally at Panur in the Koothuparamba Assembly constituency here on Saturday, Mr. Kumar said Kerala was a role model for the entire nation in upholding secular values. Janata Dal (U) candidate K.P. Mohanan, Minister for Agriculture, is contesting in Koothuparmba.
The Bihar Chief Minister said growth of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the State would be detrimental to the State’s secular values.
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Calling on the people to vote for the United Democratic Front (UDF), he said secularism would be in danger if communal forces got a foothold in the State. The society should take the effort to safeguard the secular features of the State, he urged. The Chief Minister also complimented Mr. Mohanan for his intervention as Agricultural Minister for the assistance to farmers over the past five years.
Mr. Kumar reached Panur in a helicopter in the morning. After his address, he left for Kozhikode.
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‘Unfulfilled promises’
Staff Reporter writes from Wayanad:
Addressing the public at a campaign meeting here on Saturday, Mr. Kumar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made several promises to the public, including bringing back black money stashed in offshore accounts, but the promises were yet to materialise.
Every election, the BJP leaders would approach the public with a host of promises, but they forget it after the election, Mr. Kumar said. However, the people of Bihar had given their answer to the BJP in the previous State Assembly elections by enthroning the Grand Alliance in the State.
The BJP national leaders spoke on development issues during election time, but had a history of raising communal issues once they came into power, he added.
“As Kerala is the land of communal harmony, the educated and politically conscious public should be alert against the rise of communal and fascist forces,” Mr. Kumar said.