Bihar polls: PM Modi lauds record voting in 1st phase; says evidence of trust in NDA

Patna, Nov 7 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended the people of Bihar for their record turnout in the first phase of voting on November 6, highlighting it as evidence of their growing confidence and trust in the double-engine government of NDA at the Centre and the state.

“People of Bihar have broken all records; this is the biggest ever polling percentage in the state since Independence. Close to 65 per cent of voting took place in the first phase. This shows that the youth, farmers and women of Bihar are coming to bless the BJP-led NDA,” PM Modi said, addressing a large gathering in Aurangabad.

Recalling the horror of the Red terror in the region during the RJD-Congress regime, the Prime Minister said that Aurangabad bore the brunt of Naxal violence for long, and it was under the Nitish-led government that it became free from the clutches of violence.

Elaborating on how the NDA government wiped out Red Terror, PM Modi said, “This region has long been afflicted with Maoist terror. People used to fear coming out of their homes during the jungle raj, but after ‘Sushashan’ came to Bihar under Nitish Kumar, this marked the end of Naxal terror. After the BJP government came to power at the Centre, a major crackdown on Red terror was launched, resulting in the restoration of people in people’s lives.”

The Prime Minister, boasting about the BJP’s habit and resolve of fulfilling its poll promises, recalled the historic and landmark decisions taken in 10 years of his tenure. He said, “We promised construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, abrogation of Article 370, implementation of One Rank, One Pension scheme for the Armed Forces, and we ensured that all of them were executed within a certain timeframe”.

“It was from the soil of Bihar that I promised to avenge the terror attacks in Pahalgam. I want to ask you — didn’t our forces punish the perpetrators, didn’t they give suitable retaliation to their wicked designs,” PM Modi said, evoking loud response from the crowd.

PM Modi also sought to caution the electorate against falling for ‘fake’ promises of Mahagathbandhan and said that their return to power would mean the return of ‘katta sarkar’.

–IANS

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