Bihar done, Narendra Modi sets his sights on Bengal

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 11

Ending all speculations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi again endorsed Janata Dal (United) supremo Nitish Kumar as NDA’s leader in Bihar on Wednesday.

Taking a bow at a ‘dhanyawaad karyakram’ (thanksgiving celebrations) at the BJP headquarters, the PM said the NDA will work for people of Bihar under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. 

“Under the leadership of Nitish Kumarji we will leave no stone unturned to fulfil our commitment for development of the State,” he said, ending speculations whether Nitish Kumar, whose party under-performed in comparison to the BJP in the Bihar elections that are largely credited to PM Modi, had the ‘moral right’ to occupy the top spot.

Meanwhile sources also indicated that “no major changes are expected in power sharing arrangement” between the two main NDA allies in Bihar despite the saffron party emerging the bigger player. The government forming process is expected to be initiated after Diwali. 

Addressing jubilant cadres the PM also set the tone for upcoming elections in West Bengal and Kerala, proving that the BJP is not called an ‘election machine’ for nothing.

“Those who cannot challenge us are targeting our cadres… I want to tell all of them don’t give me ‘chetavni’(  warning) because that the people of India will do that. In a democracy bloodbath cannot win elections,” he said.

 He also thanked women voters, the ‘silent naari shakti’, who contributed to NDA’s success in Bihar.  “We have the backing of strong ‘silent’ voters…they are the country’s mothers, sisters and daughters…they have become the ‘naari shakti’ for the party which cares for their safety and respect,” he said.  

While speaking about “trust that people have in the BJP” and attacking “dynasty politics” (but without naming any political party) the PM said “internal democracy has to be maintained which is one reason why I can say Nadda ji age bado hum tumhare saath hain (Naddaji(BJP president) move forward we are with you… The BJP is winning elections because the country’s blessings are with it… we have to fulfil the responsibilities”

Crediting Bihar and by-polls to the BJP’s mantra of ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas sabka vishwas, he said: “BJP is the only party on which people have faith… The results are symbol of party’s spread since the last Lok Sabha elections (2019)… From two MPs and two rooms, today BJP is the only party which is in every corner, every heart in the country. The results prove that if you work with honesty you will get blessings of people. The electorate is saying it again and again. Those who do not understand you know what happened to them… they have lost deposits.”

As he congratulated cadres of BJP and NDA, the PM also thanked JP Nadda who received a standing ovation from top leaders on the stage, union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari for his first major victories as the BJP president at the colourful ‘Diwali before Diwali’ blitzkrieg in the characteristic saffron style of pre-corona times.

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