The BJP is pulling out all the stops to make Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s “virtual rally” in poll-bound Bihar on Sunday a big success with party workers busy contacting and establishing online links with leaders, workers and supporters up to the booth level.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Tejashwi Yadav, however, said the BJP was showing “political vulturism”, and announced that the Rashtriya Janata Dal would observe the day as Garib Adhikar Diwas by beating on empty utensils.
The elections to the 243 seats in the Bihar Assembly are due by November.
RJD protest
“In this crisis, the government has kept the plate of farmers and labourers empty, so in retaliation to their insensitivity, on June 7, RJD will awaken the government by beating on plates and bowls,” Mr. Yadav tweeted. “BJP’s rally amid ‘crisis of the century’ nothing but political vulturism.”
He targeted Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over a letter reportedly written by a senior State police official and later withdrawn that raised concerns that the influx of unemployed migrants could possibly cause a law and order problem.
BJP game plan
Going ahead with its electoral plans, the BJP recently formed a seven-member Saptrishi committee at the State’s 72,725 election booths. The BJP’s Bihar in-charge, Bhupendra Yadav, and national organisational general secretary B.L. Santosh reached Patna on Friday and held several meetings with State party leaders. “Through this virtual rally, the party will virtually launch its poll campaign in Bihar,” a senior leader told The Hindu .
Mr. Shah is scheduled to address the rally from New Delhi at 4 p.m. and is expected to highlight the achievements of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s second term. He is expected to focus on the election, which the party is set to contest in alliance with the Janata Dal(U) and the Lok Jan Shakti Party. Taking issue with the BJP for planning a rally at a time when the country was busy battling the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Yadav said the BJP was only interested in electoral victory even if it cost human lives.
“At a time when the State and the country is reeling with a pandemic disease like COVID-19 that is threatening to reach the community level, the BJP’s rally speaks volume about the party’s priorities… electioneering at this time is nothing but political vulturism as they [BJP] want to win elections even at the cost of human lives,” he said.
The RJD leader criticised Mr. Kumar, who holds the Home portfolio, over the controversial leaked letter that was subsequently withdrawn.
“The Chief Minister, who holds the Home portfolio, should answer why his administration thought the migrant workers are called criminals and how they would create law and order problem in the State,” he told presspersons, adding “Why are employment rights denied to the migrants?”
