Parties step up campaign ahead of Bihar Assembly elections

The Hindu

3 days ago

Ahead of Assembly elections in Bihar, which are likely to be held in October–November later this year, political parties have begun finalising schedules and programmes of senior leaders to woo voters.
Union Home Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi district on Friday to lay the foundation stone for a newly constructed temple dedicated to the goddess Sita. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and other senior Cabinet colleagues are also expected to be present on the occasion along with Mr. Shah. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and senior State officials visited the site on August 6 to review preparations for the foundation-laying ceremony.
The State government on Thursday urged the Union Railway Minister to construct a railway station at Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi district for the convenience of devotees visiting the site.
Sitamarhi MP Devesh Chandra Thakur, from the ruling alliance partner Janata Dal (United), said a large number of people, including those from Janakpur in neighbouring Nepal, were expected to participate in the ceremony. The Union government had earlier announced plans to connect Ayodhya's Ram Temple with the Sita temple at Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi. The State government has sanctioned over ₹882 crore for the proposed 156-foot tall main temple structure - five feet shorter than Ayodhya's 161-foot Ram Temple - spread over 67 acres with wide walkways and green cover. The government aims to develop the site as a religious tourism hub.
Similarly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Gaya in the Magadh division, marking his sixth visit to the election-bound State since January this year. He is expected to inaugurate infrastructure projects worth several hundred crore rupees and address a public meeting. The venue for the meeting is yet to be finalised. 'But, PM's visit at Gaya ji is confirmed,' senior BJP leader and party MLA from Gaya, Prem Kumar, said.
The Magadh division has 10 Assembly seats. In the 2020 elections, the NDA and the Opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) had won five seats each.
Earlier this year, the Prime Minister visited Bhagalpur, Bikramganj in Rohtas, Motihari, Madhubani and Siwan, where he addressed public meetings and inaugurated projects worth several thousand crore rupees.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is also Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, has visited Bihar several times this year and is likely to launch a matdata adhikar yatra (voter's right tour) in three phases covering as many as 30 districts of the State from August 17. 'It will be like a Bharat Jodo Yatra of our leader,' party leader and MLC Prem Chandra Mishra said.
From August 13 to 15, Congress ticket aspirants are expected to submit their forms at the party headquarters in Sadaqat Ashram, Patna. 'Congress Bihar screening committee will be in Patna on August 13–14 at the party headquarters and they will be taking applications from MLA aspirants,' party spokesperson Asit Nath Tiwari said.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, meanwhile, has been announcing a series of sops for teachers, State government employees, sanitation workers and others. Mr. Kumar has also been inaugurating several pending projects aimed at public welfare.
Similarly, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, has been travelling across various districts, criticising the ruling NDA. Party leaders said, 'After August 9, Mr. Yadav would start his election campaign more extensively across the State.'