Looking back at Nitish Kumar’s ‘last’ rally and ‘last’ political campaign


“Today is the last day of the campaign and the day after are the polls. And this is my last pick. Ant bhala a sab bhala“Prime Minister Nitish Kumar said at an election rally in Purnia on Thursday as the curtains were drawn to campaign in this year’s most important Assembly elections. In an emotional postscript to what he indicated could be his last election rally, Kumar said that all is well if it ends well.

News18 stopped by the rally Kumar addressed at Dhamdaha in Purnia on the last day of the campaign, with a vote scheduled for 78 constituencies on November 7, and looked at some of his last month of political campaigning.

Nyay ke Saath Vikas

At almost every election rally, Kumar has repeated this motto that occurred to him last year. Kumar said his government had tried to ensure that all sectors of society moved forward and became part of the drive for progress.

As an example of this, Kumar spoke about the reservations he had made for the backward classes and women. “It was under my government that a 50% reserve was announced for EBC, OBC, Castes and registered tribes. It was under my mandate that the reserve for CBEs and women was introduced in the elections of local bodies, ”he said.

Female empowerment

On the subject of female empowerment, Kumar said that many people had made fun of him and criticized him for starting a free cycle scheme for girl students, but all of his critics leaned in when they saw his success. “We gave uniforms to the students whose parents did not have the money to buy them. We have the cycles of the students. People used to criticize us; They said this scheme won’t work. But look at the impact it had. In recent matriculation exams, more girls turned up than boys, ”he said.

School enrollment

To increase enrollment in sections where the school enrollment rate was low, Kumar said that more than 30,000 people from Mahadalit and minority communities had been employed to take students from their communities to school.

Health infrastructure

“Were hospitals in operation in Bihar when we took over? Only 40 people visited the Primary Health Centers during the 15 years prior to our government. We strengthened the health infrastructure so well, we supplied the PHCs with medicines, we provided doctors, so that today more than 10,000 visit the PHCs every month, ”he said.

Roads and response to natural disasters

Kumar said that during his 15-year tenure, roads had been built to connect towns to cities and towns to the state capital. He also spoke about how the government had increased its response to natural disasters after he took office. “We said and we support the declaration that the first right in the coffers of the government is that of the oppressed, the poorest,” he said.

Power and water supply

“Before taking control, let’s put aside the villages, even cities never used to have an adequate power supply. We work hard to provide water to towns and cities. Before, the power consumption of such a large state used to be a measly 700 MW. Currently, the electricity consumption in the state is 6,000 MW, ”said Kumar, adding that the state had spent an additional 5,000 crore to reduce electricity for Bihar residents.

After taking a two minute break when he heard the sound of Azaan during which he kept his head bowed and his eyes closed, Kumar continued talking about the piped water network he was working to expand rapidly. He said that after connecting all the villages to the state power grid, he planned to install solar street lights in all the villages.

Law and order

Kumar said that in RJD’s 15-year rule, people were afraid to leave their homes after dark, while during his tenure annual crime-related statistics released by the Interior Ministry showed that Bihar was now in 23rd in the country in terms of crimes committed.

Employment and development

Bihar was advancing at a rate of 12.84%, said Kumar, and due to changes in industrial policy “and the import of a lot of new technology, we are working to expand industries in the state so that no one is forced to leave. your state and in fact people from other states have to come here to look for work ”.

Kumar, who has been Chief Minister of Bihar six times and is now seeking his seventh term, ended his speech by saying: “You gave us time so far and for that I am grateful … Today is the last day of the campaign and the day after it is the polls. And this is my last pick. Ant bhala a sab bhalaHe said, asking for votes for the acting MLA of his party and former cabinet minister Leshi Singh.

Kumar has seen its fair share of ups and downs during his political campaign over the past month, when he came under constant fire from the two youth leaders: the opposition CM takes on Tejashwi Yadav and former LJP ally Chirag Paswan.

While Kumar has been seen to address his rallies with his trademark poise, he has also sometimes relented in outbursts, responding to Paswan’s claim, for example, that “in the name of the ban on alcoholic beverages, people were being illegally labeled as smugglers “, saying,” ‘People involved in the illegal liquor business’ wanted to remove him from power. “

At the end of his sixth term, Kumar seemed to have reserved most of his vitriol against Lalu Prasad’s family.

In a recent outburst between senior minister couple Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, Kumar, without naming them, said: “They have 8 to 9 children. They have no faith in daughters. They had 7-8 daughters before a son. What kind of Bihar do you want to do? If this is your ideal, what will happen to Bihar?

Attacking Tejashwi from the platform of another rally, Kumar said: “Kahin koi ek school banaya tha … agar padhna chahte ho toh apne baap se pucho … apni maata se pucho … kahi koi school tha, ya ban raha tha (Was a school even built? If you want to know, ask your father … ask your mother. Was there a school? Was a school being built?) “.

This was an unusual outburst from Kumar at a rally in Alauli. Kumar, who keeps reminding women and people of the extremely backward classes, other backward classes, programmed castes and programmed tribes about how the reservations introduced by him brought them into the mainstream, is also trying to impress the crucial electorate 50% young. many of those he knows have not experienced the ‘raj jungle’ that he talks about at all his rallies.

In opposition to Tejashwi’s promise of 10 lakh jobs, Kumar brandished his ‘7 Nishchay 2.0’, the first installment of which he had launched in the 2015 assembly elections. As part of this program, he promised a 25,000 rupee financial incentive to girls who pass class 12 exams and Rs 50,000 to pass graduation and entrepreneurship grants of 50%, up to a maximum of Rs 3 lakh, to set up a new business.

In one of his campaigns, Kumar had also alleged that JD (U) was forced to separate from RJD with whom he formed the government in 2015 because the latter’s patriarch not only refused to clarify the corruption allegations but also “ it resumed its old ways. ”Kumar also alleged that the RJD had mistreated its recently deceased leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh in his last days.

Towards the end of the campaign, after Yogi Adityanath threatened to expel through the CAA-NRC “those who threaten the security of the country,” Kumar again clarified his position on the issue. This was important given that many seats that will go to the polls in the third phase of the polls have a substantial Muslim population.

Kaun kisko is desh se bahar karega … ye kisi ke paas dum nahi hai … sab Hindustan ke hain … kaun kisko bahar karega? (Who will kick who from this country … no one has the courage … they are all from India … who will kick who?) ”Kumar asked at a public gathering in Muslim-dominated Kochadhaman on Wednesday.

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