Modi, Nitish in ugly sparring match

“You have suffered their arrogance, deceit and exploitation for the last 25 years. Do you want such a rule to continue for another five years,” thundered Modi during a rally in Gaya on Sunday. “These elections are an opportunity for you to free yourselves from the jungle <g data-gr-id="68">raaj</g>. You have so far seen jungle <g data-gr-id="69">raaj</g>. If you allow jungle <g data-gr-id="70">raaj</g> part two, it will only spell further disaster for the state,” he added.

Taking a jibe at RJD supremo Lalu Prasad over his conviction in the fodder scam, he <g data-gr-id="75">said</g> “those who go to jail, come out learning bad things.” He said while the RJD stands for ‘rozana jungle <g data-gr-id="55">raaj</g> ka dar’ (daily fear of jungle <g data-gr-id="56">raaj</g>), the JD(U) stood for ‘janata ka daman-<g data-gr-id="58">utpidan</g>’ (suppression and oppression of the people).  Referring to their alliance “forged out of political opportunism”, Modi <g data-gr-id="72">asked</g> “will the coalition survive after the elections are over. Those who drank poison will they spew it after the polls. Where will it fall? In people’s plate. Should you allow them to do that?”

“I don’t know who’s Bhujang (snake) Prasad and who’s Chandan (sandalwood) Kumar in Bihar. Who’s serving <g data-gr-id="49">poison</g> and who’s drinking it, but together they will create a poisonous environment in Bihar when elections are over,” added Modi.

Modi also vowed to remove the BIMARU (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh) tag given to the laggard state within five years of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coming to power, but did not announce the much-expected economic package he has promised. Observing that Bihar was part of the BIMARU states, Modi said BJP governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan were able to usher in development and bring the states out of the BIMARU status.

Meanwhile rebutting Modi’s allegations, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, “The PM speaks. But development does not take place just by speaking,” and added, “The things <g data-gr-id="61">Mr</g> Modi has said doesn’t befit the stature of a Prime Minister.” Slamming PM Modi, Nitish said, “Bihar is no more a BIMARU state. PM should speak with correct facts at least. PM Modi called Bihar ‘sick’, insulted its people. BJP has no hand in <g data-gr-id="59">development</g> of Bihar. I am thankful he said this himself.”

On Modi’s call to voters to elect an NDA government for rapid development of the state, Kumar said it went against the tenets of “cooperative federalism”. “He is threatening the people to vote for BJP. When states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan were lifted out of BIMARU status some 10-12 years back, NDA was not in power at the <g data-gr-id="66">centre</g>,” he said.

He also hit back at Modi for warning of a return of ‘Jungle Raj’ if JD(U)-RJD alliance were to come to power after the Assembly elections, reminding him of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s advice made in the aftermath of 2002 Gujarat riots to follow ‘Raj Dharma’. About Prime Minister’s jibe at Kumar’s alliance partner RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s experiences in jail and that it would add to the dangers of voting their coalition to power in Bihar, the JD(U) leader shot back, asking,”What does he have to say about his own house? The person whom he has made the party chief (Amit Shah) spent 7 months in jail himself. We consider jails as reformatories where even yoga is taught, but he thinks otherwise.”

Kumar’s alliance partner Lalu Prasad wanted to know why Modi did not speak about special status to Bihar. “The whole country is crying. Why has he not spoken about special status, why is he running away from granting special category status to Bihar?” he said. On Modi’s “Jungle Raj II” remark, Lalu retorted,”This is Mandal Raj II and this is making him nervous. People of Bihar will ensure another ‘Ghar Wapsi’. They will force BJP out of Bihar and back into their homes.”