Siwan: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, beginning a two-day visit to Bihar on Friday, launched a scathing campaign offensive against the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Siwan, framing the upcoming elections as a decisive battle against the return of ‘jungle raj’.
Addressing a rally immediately after his arrival, Shah paid homage to the region, stating, “I repeatedly salute the land of Rajendra Prasad. I had told the party’s Bihar leaders that my first visit after my nomination would be in Siwan.”
The Shahabuddin Strategy
The core of the Home Minister’s attack centered on the history of fear and lawlessness, invoking the specter of strongman late Mohammad Shahabuddin, who was convicted in the infamous acid attack on a businessman.
“For 20 years, the land of Siwan has endured the jungle raj of Lalu-Rabri. Siwan endured the fear of Shahabuddin, but the people of Siwan refused to bow down,” Shah asserted.
He then intensified the attack by highlighting the Opposition’s electoral choices. “Lalu has given the ticket to this same Shahabuddin’s son from Raghunathpur, but now it is the rule of Modi and Nitish. Even if 100 Shahabuddins come, no one will be harmed.” This statement was a clear attempt to polarise the law-and-order narrative against the RJD and its alliances.
The True Diwali is on November 14th
Shah took a direct aim at the Opposition’s Chief Ministerial candidate, the son of Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, predicting a crushing defeat for the RJD.
“The true Diwali will be on November 14th, when Lalu’s son will be wiped out,” Shah declared, reinforcing the narrative that the state has progressed beyond the era of dynasty politics and criminal patronage under the leadership of the NDA. He credited Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with successfully ending the ‘jungle raj’ era.
Corruption and Development Contrast
The Union Home Minister also leveraged the theme of corruption and lack of development during the RJD’s previous rule.
“What did Lalu Yadav do for the development of Bihar?” he questioned the crowds. He went on to cite the notorious fodder scam and the land-for-jobs scam as examples of the Opposition’s past priorities, contrasting them sharply with the NDA government’s continuous focus on development and transparent governance.
This marks Shah’s second visit to the state in a week, underscoring the high stakes the BJP places on the Bihar elections. He was previously on a three-day tour from October 16 to 18, during which he addressed a rally in Taraiya, Chhapra.
