Nalanda: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday addressed a rain-soaked crowd in Nalanda, where supporters stood firm under umbrellas and towels. Campaigning for NDA-backed JDU candidates, Kumar launched a fierce attack on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), accusing the party of prioritising family power over public welfare during its 15-year rule.
Addressing a rally in Rajgir, Kumar said, “Those people did no work for Bihar. There was conflict between Hindus and Muslims, no electricity, no education, no healthcare. They only worked for their families.”
He added that since assuming office in 2005, his government had brought stability and progress. “People used to stay indoors after sunset. Now there’s law, peace and development,” he said.
Rain-Soaked Rally In Rajgir
Despite heavy rain, Nitish Kumar’s meeting at Sarabahdi Hard School grounds in Rajgir drew large crowds. He urged voters to back JDU candidate Kaushal Kishore, highlighting his government’s achievements in infrastructure, health, and women’s empowerment.
The Chief Minister recalled building boundary walls around cemeteries and temples to maintain harmony and said his administration had provided “equal respect to all communities.”
Jobs, Women Empowerment, And Jeevika Movement
Kumar reaffirmed his pledge of creating one crore jobs in the next five years. “We fulfilled our promise of ten lakh jobs in 2020, and now our target is one crore,” he said.
He also touted his initiatives for women’s empowerment — 50% reservation in Panchayati Raj (2006), 35% in the police force (2013), and 35% in all government jobs (2016). “Bihar today has the highest number of women in the police force nationwide,” he said.
The Jeevika programme, launched in 2006 with World Bank support, has now connected over 1.4 crore women, Nitish claimed, calling it a model for economic independence.
Candidates In Nalanda Region
- Rajgir: Kaushal Kishore (JDU)
- Asthawan: Dr. Jitendra Kumar (JDU)
- Nalanda: Shravan Kumar (JDU)
- Islampur: Ruhail Ranjan (JDU)
- Hilsa: Krishna Murari Sharan (JDU)
- Harnaut: Harinarayan Singh (JDU)
- Biharsharif: Dr. Sunil Kumar (BJP)
