Kickstarting the poll campaigns for 2024 elections in Bihar, Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will hold rallies in the state on Saturday. Nitish Kumar along will his deputy Tejashwi Yadav will hold a joint rally of the 'Mahagathbandhan' to show their strength.
Shah 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.
While 400 km away, 'Mahagathbandhan' rally at Purnea will coincide with BJP's rally at noon. Nitish along with his deputy is set to be joined by smaller allies like the Congress and the Left in display of the state's “united opposition” which the CM believes the way forward against BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
After addressing the public rally in Balmiki Nagar, Shah will be addressing a 'Kisan Mazdur Samagam' (conclave of farmers and labourers) in Patna to celebrate birth anniversary of peasant leader and freedom fighter Swami Sahajanand Saraswati.
It is after a gap of four months, Shah is arriving in Bihar to pay his respects at Takht Harmandir Patna Sahib, the world-renowned Sikh shrine situated at the place where Guru Gobind Singh was born.
Tight security
Security arrangements has been beefed up in the state in the wake of both the parties holding rallies.
According to detailed schedule received, Shah is slated to arrive at the Jay Prakash Narayan Airport around 4 pm. He will be coming from West Champaran district after addressing a party rally.
Local police will be assisted by central paramilitary forces in providing security cover to the Union home minister who is scheduled to reach the Samrat Ashok Convention Centre, about 4 km from the airport, to address the 'Kisan Mazdur Samagam'.
Around 6.30 pm, Shah would visit Takht Harmandir Patna Sahib, situated at the place where Guru Gobind Singh was born.
After spending nearly half an hour at the Gurudwara, the Home Minister will leave for the state guest house from where he will leave, after dinner, at 9.15 pm to board his return flight.
"The BJP stands on the two pillars of organisational strength and ideological commitment and the Union Home Minister's Bihar visit is a reaffirmation of the same," said Nikhil Anand, state BJP spokesman and OBC Morcha national general secretary.
"The Mahagathbandhan, on the other hand, has chosen the communally sensitive Seemanchal area to play its card of Muslim appeasement," he alleged.
Mrityunjay Tiwari, spokesperson of the RJD, to which the deputy CM belongs and which is also the largest constituent of the 'Mahagathbandhan', hit back.
"The Purnea rally will sound the bugle for the battle to drive the BJP out of power. Amit Shah's visit will accomplish little. The Home Minister is likely to attempt communal polarization which is the only hope left for the BJP in 2024 elections," Tiwari alleged.
(With PTI inputs)
