Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his campaign for the Bihar Assembly election from Karpoorigram on Friday (October 24, 2025), asserting that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) “under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar” would produce a record-breaking electoral performance.
His confirmation of the leadership of Mr. Kumar — president of the Janata Dal (United), the BJP’s alliance partner — comes a day after the Opposition INDIA bloc formally selected Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav as its Chief Ministerial face. “This time, in Bihar, under the leadership of Nitish Babu, the NDA is set to break all its previous records of victory. In this election, Bihar will give the NDA its biggest ever mandate so far,” Mr. Modi said.
Hours later, Home Minister Amit Shah echoed his words. “Nitish Kumar has made efforts to get Bihar back on track, and for the past 10 years, Narendra Modi ji has nurtured Bihar,” Mr. Shah said at a poll rally in Siwan.
‘Most corrupt families’
The PM chose to launch his campaign at the birthplace of late socialist leader and Bharat Ratna awardee Karpoori Thakur in Samastipur district, noting that it was because of Thakur that people like him, from backward and poor families, were able to stand on the platform. Apart from the Bihar CM, Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, and other NDA leaders were present.
At a second rally in Begusarai, Mr. Modi attacked the Opposition for trying to appropriate Thakur’s legacy. “The RJD family is Bihar’s most corrupt family and the Congress family is the country’s most corrupt family. Most of the family members of these two parties are out on bail and now they are trying to steal the ‘Jannayak’ title of Karpoori Thakur,” he said, alleging that the RJD and Congress are only concerned about the political future of their own families.
Jungle raj to prosperity
Law and order cannot exist when the RJD is in power, the Prime Minister said. “During the RJD’s rule, extortion, murder, ransom, kidnapping flourished in Bihar as an industry. RJD’s jungle raj has ruined many generations in Bihar,” Mr. Modi, alleging that investors fled Bihar when a dark era of threats and fear closed industries in the State.
Claiming that the NDA had transformed jungle raj into good governance, the PM said it was now time to transform good governance into prosperity. “Everyone must understand the power of your single vote. Your one vote will determine Bihar’s prosperity, and the resolve to build a developed India will be strengthened,” he added.
‘Complete chaos in INDIA bloc’
Taking a dig at the Opposition alliance, Mr. Modi claimed that the NDA has been a picture of unity since the Bihar election was announced, in contrast to the discord in the INDIA bloc. “These people may say anything in front of the camera, but behind each other’s backs, they are tearing at each other’s skin. In this mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), there is complete chaos,” he said.
He accused the RJD of arrogance in ditching the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which was not given a single seat despite being part of the Opposition alliance, and mocked the Congress for being the “RJD’s tail” for 35 years in Bihar. Both parties have been selling tickets and carrying out scams, he said.
‘100 Shabuddins cannot harm anyone’
Addressing a rally in support of the NDA’s candidate in Siwan, Mr. Shah noted that the constituency had earlier witnessed the terror and atrocities unleashed by Mohammad Shahabuddin, a former Lok Sabha MP and associate of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is also a strongman convicted of kidnapping and murder. His son, Osama Shahab, is now an RJD candidate in the upcoming State election.
“The Lalu-Rabri regime was brought to an end and it is the same Shahabuddin’s son whom Lalu Prasad has given the ticket from Raghunathpur. I have come to tell the people of Siwan that now it is the rule of Narendra Modi ji and Nitish Kumar ji, even if a hundred Shahabuddins come, they cannot harm a hair on anyone’s head,” Mr. Shah said, contrasting the RJD’s choice of candidate with the BJP’s decision to give a ticket to former IPS officer Anand Mishra in the Buxar seat that falls in the Shahabad region where the NDA only won two out of 22 seats in the 2020 Assembly election.
Claiming that terrorists were fed biryani during the UPA’s rule, the Home Minister said that India had conducted Operation Sindoor under the Modi government. He also accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of wanting “infiltrators” to stay in Bihar.
Expressing confidence that the NDA will win the election, Mr. Shah said that people will celebrate the real Diwali when results are announced on November 14, when Lalu’s son Tejashwi Yadav would be wiped out.
Published – October 24, 2025 04:54 pm IST