Campaigning gains momentum for fifth phase of Bihar polls

GAYA - Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Shatrughan Sinha addressed election rallies in Gaya district to woo voters, ahead of the fifth phase of Assembly elections in the state.

Campaigning for his party candidate Amjad Khan, Nitish Kumar addressed a public rally at the Belaganj village in Gaya District.

Kumar said: “During the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) rule in the state, corruption has taken a back seat.

“During our last election campaign, we had promised one thing to the people of Bihar that if given a chance to come to power, we would root out hooliganism and restore law and order in the state. And we had also pledged that if we fail to do so we would not come to ask for vote for the next election,” he added

“After five years of NDA rule, it is felt everywhere that peace and harmony has been restored. There is a peaceful atmosphere all over the state. Now, people are not scared of criminals rather criminals are afraid of the police,” he said.

Kumar also highlighted the women centric schemes initiated in the state to make the women empowered particularly at the village level.

“Earlier, communal tension, petty crimes like kidnapping and hooliganism were seen all over the state. However, now people talk positively about the state. Now, people say that Bihar became the first state in the country to make the women empowered and emancipated,” Kumar said.

Complaining about the shortage of time given to him, Nitish said he had to spend the better part of his five years’ term counting and recounting the poor and as such he needed another chance to ameliorate the lot of the poor. Nearly two third of the nine crore Biharis are living below poverty line, he said.

On the Congress claim about Central funds to the state, Nitish said the Congress was not doing a favour to Bihar as the state got only what was guaranteed to it in the Indian constitution.

Praising the work and policies of Nitish Kumar Government, Shatrughan Sinha urged the people to vote for NDA.

“When pooling booths would be opened to the voters on the election date and counting begins, it would herald another era of progress and development for the state under the leadership honorable chief of state Nitish Kumar,” said Sinha.

The fifth phase of polling will be held in 35 seats spread over 8 districts of the state on November 9.

The State will elect a new 243-seat assembly in a staggered month-long polling in six phases in which over 55 million electorates are expected to cast their franchise.

Counting of votes will take place on November 24. (ANI)