Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday mounted a fierce offensive against the opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar, asserting that a victory for the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress would plunge the state back into an era of "mafia rule" and instability.
Addressing a poll rally in Siwan in support of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Mangal Pandey, Adityanath framed the upcoming assembly elections as a pivotal battle for Bihar's identity and development.
"Those who created an identity crisis in Bihar, those who forced people in Siwan to live under fear, we won't let them come to power in Bihar. This is a battle of identity and a battle to reinstate the golden age in Bihar," the Uttar Pradesh CM declared, adding, "India will develop only if Bihar becomes developed."
Drawing a direct parallel with the political landscape of his own state, Adityanath likened the RJD and Congress to the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh, alleging a deep-seated connection with criminal elements.
"Like mafia are associates of Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, they are associates of the RJD and Congress in Bihar," he claimed, in a remark aimed at consolidating the anti-incumbency vote against the opposition bloc.
Adityanath launched a sharp historical critique of the RJD's 15-year rule, characterizing it as a period of "complete anarchy." He accused the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led party of fostering an "identity crisis" for the youth of Bihar and alluded to the infamous fodder scam that plagued the party's tenure.
He also implicated the Congress in the state's historical woes, stating, "As heirs to the British, the Congress has created a crisis before the people of Bihar and obstructed its development — a situation that was further worsened by the RJD."
In a clear pitch for the incumbent National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, which includes the BJP and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), Adityanath contrasted the past with the present.
"In 2014, PM Modi started leading India... Under PM Modi and Nitish Kumar, development is taking place in Bihar," he said. He then posed a pointed question: "Why didn't RJD develop Bihar under its 15-year rule?"
The UP Chief Minister concluded with a stark warning to the electorate, suggesting that an opposition victory would have direct negative consequences for the poor and the youth.
"If RJD and Congress win, they will stop free ration for the poor and steal all the jobs for the youth. They will bring back the mafia rule in Siwan and rest of Bihar," Adityanath asserted.
The high-voltage campaign for the 243-member Bihar Legislative Assembly is intensifying, with polls scheduled to be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The counting of votes will take place on November 14, deciding the political fate of a state central to the national political narrative.
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