Union Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking at a rally in Bihar Saturday, accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of joining hands with the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal for fulfilling his Prime Ministerial ambitions. Shah added that the JD(U)-RJD tie-up is an 'unholy alliance' like oil and water. Shah was addressing BJP supporters at a campaign rally in Lauria in Bihar's West Champaran district. Slamming the BJP's former ally, Shah said that BJP's doors have been closed forever for Nitish. "After fighting his entire life, since the days of Jay Prakash Narayan, against the Congress and 'jungle raj', Nitish Kumar has allied with Lalu's RJD and Sonia Gandhi's Congress. He has become 'avsarwaadi' (opportunist) from being 'vikaswaadi' (pro-development) for his Prime Ministerial ambitions," he said. "Enough of 'Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram', the BJP's doors are closed forever for Nitish," Shah said. पूर्ण बहुमत की भाजपा सरकार ही बिहार को विकास और समृद्धि की राह पर ले जा सकती है। लौरिया, पश्चिमी चम्पारण में @BJP4Bihar द्वारा आयोजित विशाल जनसभा को संबोधित कर रहा हूँ। — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 25, 2023 Nitish has agreed to make Tejashwi Yadav the next Chief Minister, said Shah, adding that the current Bihar CM should announce when he intends to do so and plunge the state headlong into 'jungle raj'. "Nitish and Lalu cannot pull Bihar out of the vortex of backwardness. It is high time that the BJP formed its own government in the state with a full majority. The tone can be set in the next Lok Sabha polls," Shah said. In his half-hour-long speech, Shah also said: "Nitish Kumar can't stop demographic change in the border areas of Bihar. Elect Narendra Modi again in 2024 with the two-third majority and we will put brakes on such attempts," he said. Shah's rally coincides with another one being held by Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi's joint 'Mahagathbandhan' rally at Purnea. They are likely to be joined by smaller allies like the Congress and the Left in a display of the state's own version of a 'united opposition' which Kumar, in particular, believes is the way forward to take on the mighty BJP in next year's Lok Sabha polls. Shah, the BJP's veritable principal strategist, will begin his tour of the state with a public meeting in Balmiki Nagar Lok Sabha constituency, a party stronghold that was given away to the chief minister's JD(U) in 2019 as part of seat-sharing arrangements. (With inputs from PTI)
