"We must protect Bihar from Congress, RJD's malicious intentions ": PM Modi targets Oppn in poll-bound State

Motihari (Bihar) [India], July 18 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lambasted the INDIA bloc partners, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress, for halting development in Bihar and appealed to voters to "protect" the State from their "malicious" intentions ahead of Assembly polls due later this year.
Addressing a public rally in Motihari after dedicating projects worth Rs 72,00 crore for Bihar, Prime Minister accused Congress and the RJD of doing politics in the name of the poor, Dalits, backwards classes, and tribals, but they never ensure equal rights to them.
"Congress and RJD have been doing politics in the name of the poor, Dalits, backwards classes, and tribals. However, far from ensuring equal rights, they often fail to show respect to people outside their immediate families. The arrogance of these people is being witnessed by the entire Bihar today. We must protect Bihar from their malicious intentions," the Prime Minister said.
Further sharpening the attack, PM Modi stated that it was impossible for the poor to obtain such pucca houses during the rule of the RJD and Congress in Bihar. "During the rule of the RJD and Congress, it was impossible for the poor to get such Pucca houses. In the regime of those people, folks didn't even dare to paint their homes, fearing that if they did, who knows, the landlord might just have them evicted."
"Bihar is the land of brave souls who make even the impossible possible. You people have freed this land from the shackles of RJD and Congress, making the impossible possible. As a result, today in Bihar, schemes for the welfare of the poor are directly reaching the poor," PM Modi said, emphasising that it is essential for today's generation to know how Bihar was steeped in despair two decades ago.
"It is essential for today's generation to know how Bihar was steeped in despair two decades ago. During the rule of RJD and Congress, development was stalled, and it was impossible for the poor's money to reach the poor.
Those in power only thought about how to loot the money meant for the poor," the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi's visit comes ahead of Bihar Assembly elections, which are expected to be held later this year; however, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not announced an official date.
While the NDA, comprising the BJP, JD(U), and LJP, will once again seek to continue its stint in Bihar, the INDIA bloc, comprising the RJD, Congress, and left parties, will aim to unseat Nitish Kumar.
In the current Bihar Assembly, comprising 243 members, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) consists of 131 members, with the BJP having 80 MLAs, JD(U) having 45, HAM(S) having 4, and the support of 2 Independent Candidates.The Opposition's INDIA Bloc comprises 111 members, with the RJD leading with 77 MLAs, followed by Congress with 19, CPI(ML) with 11, CPI(M) with 2, and CPI with 2. (ANI)