Congress general secretary and Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday extolled Bihar’s people for their industriousness as he heightened his attacks on the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state, saying Biharis were shining everywhere but Bihar was not progressing despite the state government’s hype.
Addressing crowded public meetings in southern Bihar to campaign for the Congress, the party’s youth icon portrayed the JD(U)-BJP government’s achievements in the state as far below the public expectation and asked voters to support the Congress in the ongoing Assembly polls. “Biharis are shining everywhere, but Bihar is not. Development is not visible on the ground,” he said in impassioned speeches in Bachhwara, Jamalpur and Kahalgaon.
With the Congress having upped the ante in state-wide campaigns by its top leaders, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav became publicly vocal against the Congress for the first time. Although Yadav’s RJD is still technically a part of the Congress-led UPA, he said in his campaign speech at Maner: “Let us (RJD-LJP) come to power, we will show Delhi the way.”
In Khagaria, the RJD chief was seen explaining to voters the method of casting votes in the EVMs. “Wait for the machine to make a ‘peen...’ sound after your pressing the button. If it does not make any sound, there is something wrong in it. Complain to officials and fear not. Lalu is with you,” said Mr Yadav in his trademark rustic style.
The ruling JD(U) also woke up to counter the Congress’ campaign blitzkriegs and asked Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Mr Rahul Gandhi to first clean up the corruption in Congress-ruled states before accusing Nitish Kumar’s government.
“The Adarsh Housing Society scam in Mumbai and Congress chief minister Ashok Chavan’s role are fresh pointers to what Congress governments do. The party must stop diverting public attention,” said JD(U) national spokesman and Rajya Sabha member Shivanand Tiwary.
Campaigns for Bihar’s fourth phase of Assembly polls for 42 seats in six south-eastern districts and the Lok Sabha bypoll in Banka ended on Saturday with several top leaders from all parties addressing public meetings. The fourth-phase polls are scheduled for Monday and the final two phases would be held on November 9 and 20, respectively.