It's double engine govt vs two yuvrajs in Bihar polls: PM Modi

Chhapra (Bihar): Taking a dig at the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that a 'double engine government' was pitted against 'two yuvrajs' in the ongoing Bihar Assembly elections.

One of these 'yuvrajs' or princes is a 'yuvraj of jungle raj', Modi said at a public rally in Chhapra.

"The second 'yuvraj' joined hands with a third 'yuvraj' in Uttar Pradesh, but the people rejected them. Now the second 'yuvraj' had come to Bihar to seek votes," Modi added.

He was referring to Tejashwi Yadav, Rahul Gandhi, and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav.

"Once again, there is an opportunity to defeat the yuvrajs. What happened to them in Uttar Pradesh is going to be repeated in Bihar as well," the Prime Minister said.

He referred to a video clip doing the rounds on the social media, in which a woman was asked why she was voting for Modi. The Prime Minister said that the woman's answer forced the entire opposition to go silent.

"She said 'Modi gave ration, pension, electricity, and cooking gas. Should I still vote for you than him?'" the Prime Minister added.

He said that the daughters, women and other people in Bihar were putting the same question to the opposition. "It is because of the power of your vote that I head the government at the Centre and Nitish Kumar in Bihar. It is a double engine government on one side and two 'yuvrajs' on the other, including one of the jungle raj," Modi said without naming anyone.

He claimed that the people's love and bonding with the BJP had not been liked by political rivals and they had lost sleep.

"In desperation, they are abusing me. They can abuse me, but please don't vent your anger on the public of Bihar," he said.

Modi also pointed to the free ration the Centre had been providing to the poor during the coronavirus pandemic in Bihar.

Modi also asserted that the public response during the Assembly elections clearly indicated that the new government in the state will again be formed under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership.

Referring to the first phase of Assembly elections in 71 Assembly constituencies on October 28, the Prime Minister said that "it is clear that the new Bihar government will be formed under Nitish's leadership".

He also said that a good public gathering in an early morning rally in Chhapra clearly indicated likewise.

"I can imagine the results of the Bihar elections after witnessing such a huge crowd in this rally. I have seen various election rallies in Bihar in the past. Some of the rallies were held close to the election dates. But such a gathering before 10 am in Bihar has not been seen ever. This is an extraordinary scene... people have cast their franchise in huge numbers," Modi said.

Elections are slated to be held in three phases for the 243 Assembly seats in Bihar. The first phase of elections was held in Bihar on October 28. In the second phase, voting for 94 seats will be held on November 3. In the third phase, 78 seats will go to polls on November 7. Counting will take place on November 10.

After the the first rally in Chapra, the bastion of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad, the Prime Minister will address three more rallies in the poll-bound state.