NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah launched a sharp attack on the INDIA bloc during a series of rallies in Bihar on Wednesday, accusing Congress leader
Sonia Gandhi and RJD supremo
Lalu Prasad Yadav of promoting dynastic politics and corruption.
Shah took sharp digs at both leaders, saying their ambitions to see their sons as chief minister and prime minister would fail, as "both the posts are not vacant."
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Addressing a crowd in Begusarai, Shah said, "The BJP has given tickets to many youngsters for the Bihar assembly polls, but the RJD and Congress have not, as Lalu ji wants to make his son Tejashwi to become the Chief Minister and Sonia Gandhi wants her son, Rahul to become the Prime Minister."
He went on to mock the opposition leadership, saying, "I want to say this to Sonia ji and Lalu ji — 'Bihar mein na CM pad khali hai, Delhi mein PM pad khali hai. Aapke beto ka number nahi lagne wala hai'."
Shah also branded the opposition alliance as a corrupt coalition, remarking that the Mahagathbandhan was actually a 'thug bandhan,' led by leaders mired in scams.
'Lalu and Rahul protect infiltrators'
Shah further accused the RJD-Congress alliance of shielding infiltrators in Bihar's voter lists. Taking aim at Rahul Gandhi, he said, "Rahul Baba had come here a month and a half ago. Now, after a month, he has come again today. When he came earlier, he had taken out a 'Ghuspaithiya Bachao Yatra'."
Also read |Chirag Paswan backs Nitish Kumar as NDA's CM face; clarifies Amit Shah's remarkShah asked the crowd, "Today I have come to ask the people of Begusarai, and the followers of Lord Parashuram: should there be Bangladeshi infiltrators on Bihar' s voter lists? Both Lalu (Yadav) and Rahul (Gandhi) have become protectors of Bangladeshi infiltrators. But today I promise you that our four candidates will identify them and remove every single infiltrator from the soil of Bihar."
He continued, "An infiltrator takes a share of our ration and grain, takes work meant for our labourers, and with their vote creates an anti-India government. Lalu and Rahul are protectors of infiltrators on the voter lists. Tell me: should the infiltrators be removed or not? Can Rahul remove them? Only Narendra Modi can remove them."
'This election is not about making someone CM'
Shah described the upcoming 2025 Bihar Assembly elections as a battle for the state' s future, stating that, "The upcoming Bihar election of 2025 is not about making someone an MLA, a minister, or even a chief minister. This election is to save Bihar from jungle raj (lawlessness). We have witnessed jungle raj before, Begusarai was once an industrial district, but one by one, all industries on this land disappeared," he said.
His remarks come amid uncertainty over the NDA’s chief ministerial face, with the opposition mocking the alliance over it.
"Bihar' s soil was soaked in blood because of heinous crimes. Industries of crime, murder, ransom, extortion, and abduction began to flourish. For 15 years, Lalu and Rabri devastated the land of Bihar. Now, after 20 years, that same jungle raj is returning in the form of Tejashwi and Rahul' s alliance," the Union minister added.
Follow Bihar Assembly Election 2025 Live UpdatesCautioning voters, Shah said, "People of Bihar, be careful, one mistake will push Bihar back by 20 years. But if you make the right decision, under the leadership of Modi ji, a 'Viksit Bihar' will be built."
Shah praises Nitish-Modi duo
Addressing another rally in Samastipur, Shah continued his attack on the opposition, targeting Lalu and Rabri over multiple corruption cases.
"Lalu and Rabri Devi were involved in the fodder scam, land-for-jobs scam, hotel scam, export scam, and disproportionate assets scam. Can this 'Mahathugbandhan' do any good for Bihar? Only the Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi duo can bring development to the state," he said.
Dismissing any doubts over NDA unity, Shah described the alliance as 'paanch paandav,' a strong team of five parties, and asserted that they would secure a "historic victory" in the coming polls.
'They want to snatch Karpoori Thakur's legacy'
Shah also accused the opposition of attempting to politicise the legacy of former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur. "Modi ji bestowed Bharat Ratna upon Jannayak Karpoori Thakur. Now, they (opposition) want to take away the title from Karpoori ji. We will not let this happen. People have seen the real face of Congress that had prevented Babu Jagjivan Ram from becoming the PM," he alleged.
'Should Article 370 have been revoked?'
Speaking later in Darbhanga, Shah highlighted Modi government's work in both Ayodhya and Kashmir, stating that, "Here, a temple of Sita Mata is also being built. Brothers and sisters, tell me Kashmir is ours, isn't it? Why is there any doubt? I am asking clearly: Is Kashmir part of India or not? And should Article 370 have been revoked or not?"
He further alleged that, "For 70 long years, a Congress-led government, along with leaders like Lalu, kept Article 370 in place. But Prime Minister Modi abolished Article 370 forever on August 5, 2019. There was a time when terrorists would leave India' s soil bloodied...But then a surgical strike was carried out, the second time an air strike was conducted, and the third time, Operation Sindoor was executed, during which Pakistan was cleaned up."
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