Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been the face of Bihar for 20 years, and he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have brought politics of development to the state, Road Construction Minister Nitin Nabin said.
In an interview with PTI, Nabin, a BJP leader, also questioned the popularity of Mahagatbandhan's CM face Tejashwi Yadav, claiming that the RJD leader is unpopular even in his own party and family.
He also took a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and questioned why he has not come to Bihar to address any rally so far, quipping that his rallies help the ruling NDA.
Asked if Nitish Kumar would be the chief minister if the NDA retains power, Nabin said, "Nitish ji has been the face of Bihar and its people for the last 20 years." However, he fell short of saying that Kumar remains the chief ministerial choice for the alliance.
Nabin went ahead to question the Mahatbandhan's announcement of Tejashwi Yadav being its CM face.
"The self-declared faces are unpopular even in their own party and family. How popular would they be among the people? If self declaration is everything, they can even announce a prime ministerial face," he said.
The opposition alliance has been accusing the NDA of shying away from declaring Kumar as its chief ministerial candidate. The remarks also come against the backdrop of questions being raised over the health condition of the chief minister, who has been in the news recently for his antics.
In May this year, at a ceremony in Patna, Kumar accepted a potted plant from a senior IAS officer and then reportedly placed it on the officer's head. Recently, Kumar's gesture of sitting with folded hands for an extended duration during an event, which was also joined by Prime Minister Modi through video conferencing, was again questioned by his rivals.
In a rally in Bihar's Samastipur on Friday, Modi had said the NDA would break its previous records in these elections under the leadership of Kumar.
Nabin stressed that the NDA would come back to power, and the election results would be better than that of 2020.
Taking a jibe at Gandhi, the BJP leader said, "The people who came with allegations of vote theft, have now run away. On 30th September, voters' list was published, he (Rahul Gandhi) has not visited Bihar even once since then."
"He had spoken of an 'atom bomb'... Where is the bomb?" Nabin asked.
The Bihar minister quipped that the BJP and the NDA benefit whenever Gandhi comes for campaigning.
"He left after making a self-goal. We want him to come. Because whenever he comes, the BJP benefits, NDA benefits. We are waiting for Rahulji to come soon," Nabin said.
On Prime Minister Modi's remarks that 'Jungle Raj' would return to Bihar if the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan comes to power, he sought to explain the term 'Jungle Raj' often used by the NDA against the RJD rule when Lalu Yadav was the CM.
"Crime happens in other states also, but the term 'Jungle Raj' was not used there. It was called 'Jungle Raj' in Bihar because crime was supported by the government. Criminals found protection in the corridors of power then," he alleged.
"People have not forgotten, what was the era of Shahabuddin. His son got a ticket again. So, somewhere, what the prime minister is saying, is visible, isn't it?" the minister said.
The RJD has fielded former party MP Mohammad Shahabuddin's son, Osama Shahab, from Raghunathpur assembly seat in Siwan.
Nabin said the NDA has brought politics of development to Bihar.
"Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi have got so much support from the people because of development. Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi have not done politics on caste basis," he said.
"Nitish Kumar's USP is development and good administration. And this is the reason that when you do any campaign with these two leaders, we always convince the public that if Modi is there, it is possible, if Nitish is there, it is certain... People have faith in NDA," the minister said.
In an interview with PTI, Nabin, a BJP leader, also questioned the popularity of Mahagatbandhan's CM face Tejashwi Yadav, claiming that the RJD leader is unpopular even in his own party and family.
He also took a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and questioned why he has not come to Bihar to address any rally so far, quipping that his rallies help the ruling NDA.
Asked if Nitish Kumar would be the chief minister if the NDA retains power, Nabin said, "Nitish ji has been the face of Bihar and its people for the last 20 years." However, he fell short of saying that Kumar remains the chief ministerial choice for the alliance.
Nabin went ahead to question the Mahatbandhan's announcement of Tejashwi Yadav being its CM face.
"The self-declared faces are unpopular even in their own party and family. How popular would they be among the people? If self declaration is everything, they can even announce a prime ministerial face," he said.
The opposition alliance has been accusing the NDA of shying away from declaring Kumar as its chief ministerial candidate. The remarks also come against the backdrop of questions being raised over the health condition of the chief minister, who has been in the news recently for his antics.
In May this year, at a ceremony in Patna, Kumar accepted a potted plant from a senior IAS officer and then reportedly placed it on the officer's head. Recently, Kumar's gesture of sitting with folded hands for an extended duration during an event, which was also joined by Prime Minister Modi through video conferencing, was again questioned by his rivals.
In a rally in Bihar's Samastipur on Friday, Modi had said the NDA would break its previous records in these elections under the leadership of Kumar.
Nabin stressed that the NDA would come back to power, and the election results would be better than that of 2020.
Taking a jibe at Gandhi, the BJP leader said, "The people who came with allegations of vote theft, have now run away. On 30th September, voters' list was published, he (Rahul Gandhi) has not visited Bihar even once since then."
"He had spoken of an 'atom bomb'... Where is the bomb?" Nabin asked.
The Bihar minister quipped that the BJP and the NDA benefit whenever Gandhi comes for campaigning.
"He left after making a self-goal. We want him to come. Because whenever he comes, the BJP benefits, NDA benefits. We are waiting for Rahulji to come soon," Nabin said.
On Prime Minister Modi's remarks that 'Jungle Raj' would return to Bihar if the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan comes to power, he sought to explain the term 'Jungle Raj' often used by the NDA against the RJD rule when Lalu Yadav was the CM.
"Crime happens in other states also, but the term 'Jungle Raj' was not used there. It was called 'Jungle Raj' in Bihar because crime was supported by the government. Criminals found protection in the corridors of power then," he alleged.
"People have not forgotten, what was the era of Shahabuddin. His son got a ticket again. So, somewhere, what the prime minister is saying, is visible, isn't it?" the minister said.
The RJD has fielded former party MP Mohammad Shahabuddin's son, Osama Shahab, from Raghunathpur assembly seat in Siwan.
Nabin said the NDA has brought politics of development to Bihar.
"Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi have got so much support from the people because of development. Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi have not done politics on caste basis," he said.
"Nitish Kumar's USP is development and good administration. And this is the reason that when you do any campaign with these two leaders, we always convince the public that if Modi is there, it is possible, if Nitish is there, it is certain... People have faith in NDA," the minister said.
