Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday urged the people of Bihar to make a conscious decision while casting their votes in the Assembly elections on 6 and 11 November, saying the future of the state lies in their hands.
Addressing election rallies in Sheohar, Sitamarhi, and Madhubani, Shah said that under Lalu–Rabri’s rule, Bihar had witnessed jungle raj and complete lawlessness.
“Because of extortion, Bihar’s sugar mills had closed, the Barauni factory had shut down, the petroleum complex never came up, and power plants were not being established,” he said.
He added that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar brought the state out of lawlessness and opened the path to development.
Shah recalled that when the Congress was in power at the Centre, several districts in Bihar were affected by Naxal violence, and polling would end by 3 pm.
“This time, for the first time, the entire state will vote till 5 pm, because Bihar has been freed from Naxalism,” he said.
Urging voters to reflect before voting, he asked, “Who has given you the courage to vote fearlessly? Who freed Bihar from jungle raj? Who laid the network of roads? Under whose rule did your daughters start going to school on bicycles without fear? Who made it safe to move around even at midnight? Under whose rule did electricity reach every village?”
Attacking opposition leaders, Shah said RJD chief Lalu Prasad wants to make his son the Chief Minister of Bihar, while Sonia Gandhi wants to make her son the Prime Minister of India.
“Let me make it clear today — neither Lalu’s son will become Chief Minister nor Sonia’s son will become Prime Minister, because Nitish Kumar is in Bihar and Prime Minister Modi is in Delhi,” he said.
He further said that on 14 November, the parties of Rahul Gandhi and Lalu Prasad would be “wiped out” and the NDA government would be formed again in Bihar.
In Sitamarhi, Shah promised that on the day of the ‘prana-pratishtha’ (consecration) of Sita Mata’s temple, a Vande Bharat train would be launched between Sitamarhi and Ayodhya.
“Whoever comes to Ayodhya will also visit Sitamarhi, and it will give a big boost to Bihar’s tourism,” he added.