Bihar election: NDA vows to end 'Thugbandhan' and expel infiltrators; Congress calls SIR a 'flop show'

Patna (Bihar) [India], November 8 (ANI): As the second phase of Bihar Assembly elections approaches, the political temperature soared on Saturday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah launching blistering attacks on the Opposition's 'Jungle Raj' legacy and promising to expel infiltrators, while Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge dismissed NDA's victory claims as baseless and Congress leader Pawan Khera alleged voter list manipulation in collusion with the Election Commission.
Kharge expressed confidence in the people's verdict in the ongoing Bihar Assembly elections, dismissing the BJP's claims and slogans as baseless.
"We have faith in the people. We know where they get their data and figures from. Earlier as well, they gave a slogan of 400 paar and whatnot. But we have faith only in the people. People will do justice and decide what's best for them," he said when asked about NDA's confidence of winning 160 plus seats in the Bihar assembly election.
Targeting the NDA's 'jungleraj' narrative, the Congress chief questioned the ruling alliance's failure to address law and order issues and infiltration during their long tenure. "Jungle Raj and all these things are old issues. Why did they not end Jungle Raj in 20 years? Why didn't the push out infiltrators? This is a failure of the central government and the state government. I want to call out their double-engine government for this failure," he added.

Congress leader Pawan Khera alleged that people who have been casting votes for generations have been deleted from the voters' list in the first phase of the Bihar polls held on November 6. He accused the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) of having allegedly worked together to manipulate votes in Haryana.
"We received complaints from our workers that the names of people who have been casting votes for generations, their names were deleted from the voter list. The entire nation saw that SIR was a flop show in Bihar... With the collusion of the Election Commission of India and the BJP, we were not able to form the government in Haryana, and they stole votes," he said.
Meanwhile, in Rohtas, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched a sharp attack on Congress MP and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi over his allegations of "vote theft," accusing him of misleading voters in the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections.
Addressing an election rally in Rohtas's Dinara, Singh questioned Rahul Gandhi over his claims of voter fraud, urging him to lodge a written complaint with the Election Commission if he truly believed votes were being stolen.
Singh said, "If Rahul Gandhi thinks that the votes of the people of Bihar are being stolen, why does he not file a written complaint with the Election Commission? I want to ask him can politics not be done by speaking the truth? Is it important to lie to have a successful political career?"
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed rallies in Bettiah and Sitamarhi today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a sharp dig at the Opposition, saying that the people of Bihar gave a "65-volt jhatka [shock]" to those who thrived during the era of 'Jungle Raj' in the first phase of the Assembly elections.
Addressing a public rally in Sitamarhi, PM Modi said, "In the first phase of the elections, the people of Jungle Raj got a '65 volt jhatka'. There is talk everywhere that the youth of Bihar have chosen development by supporting the NDA, and the women and daughters of Bihar have ensured a record victory for the alliance."
The Prime Minister said that the RJD's campaign reflects its mindset, as children are being made to chant slogans about becoming extortionists instead of aspiring to be doctors or professionals.
"What does RJD want to do for the children of Bihar is clearly visible in their election campaign. Listen to the songs and slogans of the Jungle Raj people. You will be shocked. On RJD's stages, innocent children are being made to say that they want to become extortionists. Should a child of Bihar become an extortionist or a doctor? Will we let them win who want our children to be extortionists?" PM said."
The atmosphere we are witnessing in Sitamarhi today is heart-touching. This atmosphere is also conveying the message that - We don't want a Katta government, once again an NDA government," PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister further emphasised that it was difficult for women to step out of their homes during the reign of the RJD and the Congress.
"Bettiah, Champaran has witnessed the most terrifying form of RJD and Congress's jungle raj. The jungle raj folks had turned this sacred land of Satyagraha into a stronghold of lathait goons and dacoits. Murders were happening here day in and day out, and it was difficult for sisters and daughters to step out of their homes," said PM Modi.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while addressing a public meeting during an election rally in Banmankhi town of Purnea district, and later in Supaul, showcased great confidence in the NDA's victory in the Bihar Elections, citing that the party is united like the five "Pandavas".
Speaking on the ongoing Bihar Elections, HM Amit Shah took a jibe at the Mahagathbandhan and said, "This election contest is between two parties...On one hand, there is a scattered "Thugbandhan," while on the other hand, NDA stands tall like the "Pandavas." The first phase of elections has wiped out Lalu-Rahul's party..."
Exuding confidence in NDA's victory, he claimed that the party will win with over 160 seats in the state.
"NDA will form government in Bihar with more than 160 seats...Bihar is heading towards becoming a developed state under the fine leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar..." he said.
Moreover, Shah underlined that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the NDA are planning to expel infiltrators from the state within the next five years. "We will not only expel the infiltrators, but the encroachment they have made will also be razed to the ground... All the illegal businesses here were established during Lalu's rule and subsequently expanded by infiltrators. In the next five years, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the NDA government will root out every single illegal activity in Seemanchal," he added.
Amit Shah targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for starting 'Ghushpaithia Bachao Yatra' while addressing a public meeting during an election rally in Banmankhi town of Purnea district in Bihar.
"Should the infiltrators be expelled or not?... Rahul Baba and Lalu's son just started a "Save the Infiltrators" Yatra. They want Seemanchal to become a stronghold of infiltrators. But...we will work to expel every single infiltrator not only from Seemanchal, but also from the entire Bihar... They snatch the jobs of our youth. They take away the rations of our poor and also make the country unsafe..." he said.
Ahead of the second phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, the youth political organisation Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) took a dig at the Mahagathbandhan alliance with a cartoon on Saturday.
In the cartoon, RJD leader and Chief Ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav is depicted pointing a gun, demanding the position of Chief Minister in Bihar. This cartoon was accompanied by a caption which alleged that RJD has forced Congress to surrender the CM position.
"RJD has held a gun to Congress's temple and forced them to surrender the CM position," wrote BJYM.
On Thursday, the first phase of the assembly elections in Bihar concluded peacefully with a record voter turnout of 65.08 per cent, the highest-ever in the state's history in assembly polls.
The voting was held on 121 seats spread across 18 districts, and a total of 3.75 crore voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase of polls. The second phase of assembly polls will be held on November 11, and the votes will be counted on November 14. (ANI)