Modi, Nitish may opt for solo rallies in Bihar
NEW STRATEGY. Sources say for the remaining six phases of elections, the two will campaign separately; top leaders to follow suit
In what is being perceived as a sign of strain in BJP’s patch-up with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he may not be sharing stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he campaigns in the State.
Multiple sources told businessline that for the remaining six phases of elections, the two will campaign separately.
Some party sources are attributing it to Nitish fumbling and making garbled statements, like he did at a joint rally with the PM in Nawada. In a speech gone viral, the CM first said the NDA would win 4 lakh and then 4,000 seats in the Lok Sabha. In the same meeting, Kumar took an inordinately long time to wind up his speech while the audience and the PM were becoming visibly restless.
HEATING UP
“There have been embarrassing situations... This 4 lakh seats speech was really mortifying. He also took so much time to finish his speech that people became impatient. The PM kept looking at his watch,” a source said, adding that the PM and CM not campaigning together is an “honourable solution”.
It doesn’t stop with the PM and the CM. Now, all the NDA constituents in Bihar — be it the Lok Janshakti Party of Chirag Paswan or the Hindustani Awam Morcha of Jitan Ram Manjhi or Rashtriya Lok Manch of Upendra Kushwaha — will campaign separately.
CAMPAIGNING APART
“All the top NDA leaders, be it PM Modi of BJP, CM Kumar or Deputy CMs, Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi or Upendra Kushwaha are going to address election rally for their candidates independently under the banner
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during a public meeting ahead of Lok Sabha elections, in Jamui (file photo)
of NDA, which means no sharing of stage by prominent leaders of various alliance members,” another source said.
But will such a situation not send confused signals? Sources in the NDA constituent
parties say that the idea is to campaign for alliance and make a joint appeal irrespective of parties. This means that Modi will campaign for JD (U) or LJP (Ram Vilas) candidates but the leaders of dierent parties will campaign
independently.
The early signs of this arrangement were visible when Modi addressed rallies in Gaya and Purnia on April 16. In both the rallies, Nitish Kumar was not present. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav was quick to catch on.
“It is up to you (media persons) to find out why the CM was not present in PM’s public meetings at Gaya and Purnea on April 16. Why is the BJP not inviting him in rallies?” Tejaswi asked.
PM is scheduled to address two rallies in Bihar on April 26 in Araria and Darbhanga. The same day, Bihar will have second phase of polling in Kishanganj, Purnia, Katihar, Bhagalpur and Banka. Barring Kishanganj, all four seats are currently represented by JD (U). It is expected that Nitish will not be present in the PM rallies.
Under NDA alliance, out of total 40 seats, BJP is fighting on 17 seats, JD (U) on 16 and Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) contesting on five seats. Former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s led Hindustani Avami Morcha and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha have been given one seat each in the State.