New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday addressed a public gathering in Bihar's Nawada where he came heavily on the incumbent JDU-RJD government in the state. Taking a jibe at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, Shah said "one wants to become the Prime Minister while another aspires to be the CM".
Talking about his cancelled programmed in Sasaram, the minister said, "I was supposed to go to Sasaram but due to unfortunate situations, people are being killed there, bullets are fired and tear-gas shelling is happening. I will come to Sasaram surely during my next visit."
"Rioters running amok in Sasaram, Bihar Sharif will be hung upside down if BJP forms govt in Bihar in 2025," he added.
He alleged that Janata Dal (United) President Lalan Singh got "offended" when he spoke to Bihar Governor. "I pray to god that peace is restored at the earliest in the state. There's no point in speaking with the state govt here, when I called the Governor then Lalan Singh (JDU president) got offended."
Speaking about the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP leader said that Nitish won't become the PM and that the "people of country have decided Narendra Modi will become PM for third term...Modiji's Lotus will bloom on all 40 (Lok Sabha) seats."
Cornering the 'Mahagathbandhan' alliance and Nitish Kumar for ditching alliance with the saffron party in the state, the Union Minister asked if they can bring peace in the state.
"...The government which has jungle raj's Lalu Prasad Yadav's party, can that government bring peace in Bihar? Nitish Kumar (Bihar CM) sat in the lap of Lalu Prasad Yadav due to hunger for power, we will uproot the 'Mahagathbandhan' government" and added Lalu, Nitish practiced politics of appeasement which helped terrorism flourish while PM Modi went on to scrap Article 370.
Several leaders from Lok Janshakti Party and Janata Dal (United) joined the saffron party during the rally which was also attended by BJP Rajya Sabha MPs Rakesh Sinha and Sushil Modi, and BJP Bihar MLC Shahnawaz Hussain.
Shah arrived in Patna on Saturday evening where he was scheduled to visit Sashastra Seema Bal today morning but was cancelled due to "unavoidable reasons", a statement said.
Shah was scheduled to dedicate to the public nine establishments of the SSB and conduct "bhoomi pujan" for a new Patna Frontier building.
His visit to Sasaram town in Rohtas district was also put off in view of communal violence that began Thursday evening during Ram Navami festivities and continued till Friday.
Besides, the communal conflagration has also rocked Bihar Sharif, barely 40 km from Nawada.
Shah's Sasaram event was touted as a celebration of the birth anniversary of Asoka, the Mauryan emperor, who has acquired the status of an OBC icon in Bihar, which has been the veritable laboratory of Mandal politics.
BJP leaders were quick to allege that Section 144 of CrPC was imposed in Sasaram "deliberately" with the intent to impede Shah's function, a charge rejected by the Nitish Kumar government.
However, Rohtas District Magistrate Dharmendra Kumar, in a video statement, denied imposing Section 144. "No such order was passed by myself or the Sub Divisional Magistrate concerned," he said.
Earlier in the day, the Union Home Minister spoke to Bihar Governor over the prevailing situations in the state Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and took stock of the situation. As per the news agency PTI, the Union Home Ministry has decided to send central paramilitary forces to Bihar.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)