Modi Cautions Against Political Opportunism As Bihar Elections Approach

Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a pointed message to Bihar's political landscape during his recent visit, addressing the growing trend of leaders who abandon their parties before elections only to return afterward. Speaking to BJP leaders in the state, Modi emphasized that such opportunistic behavior undermines political credibility and party standing.
The Prime Minister's remarks come as Bihar prepares for Assembly elections scheduled for November 2025, setting the stage for a significant political battle between competing alliances. During his interaction with party workers, Modi stressed several critical points for the upcoming electoral contest. He highlighted the importance of promoting Operation Sindoor's achievements while strengthening grassroots leadership across the state.
The Prime Minister particularly emphasized patience as a fundamental virtue in politics, suggesting that sustained commitment leads to genuine respect and recognition within party ranks. His message targeted those who frequently switch political allegiances based on immediate opportunities rather than long-term principles.
Modi also addressed the persistent issue of dynastic politics in Bihar, urging party leaders to prioritize merit over family connections when selecting candidates. He specifically warned against the practice of family members seeking tickets when the original leader is unavailable, calling for an end to such feudalistic approaches in modern politics.
This stance reflects the BJP's broader campaign against nepotism in Indian politics, particularly relevant in Bihar where family-based political dynasties have traditionally held significant influence. The upcoming elections will feature a direct confrontation between two major alliances: the RJD-Congress-Left coalition and the ruling BJP-JD(U) partnership. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar remains a crucial figure in this equation, despite his history of changing political allegiances, which has earned him the nickname "Paltu Ram" among critics.
Kumar, who assumed the Chief Minister's office for the ninth time in January 2024 after rejoining the NDA, continues to be valued by the BJP for his appeal among the Kurmi community, making him an essential component of the party's electoral strategy.
Modi's visit and subsequent roadshow in Patna effectively launched the BJP's campaign for the November elections. His emphasis on loyalty, merit-based selection, and grassroots empowerment signals the party's strategy to counter opposition narratives while maintaining coalition unity.
The Prime Minister's message serves as both a warning to potential defectors and a rallying call for committed party workers, setting the tone for what promises to be a closely contested electoral battle in one of India's most politically significant states.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Time of India

18 minutes ago

• Time of India

Amit Shah 1st to be told about cash at judge Varma's residence

Union home minister Amit Shah NEW DELHI: Home minister Amit Shah was the first to be informed by Delhi Police commissioner Sanjay Arora about "four or five half-burnt sacks" of cash at Justice Yashwant Varma's official residence within hours of its chance discovery following a fire on the night of March 14 at the bungalow's storeroom. Responding to a fire emergency call, firefighters and police reached Justice Varma's Tughlaq Crescent bungalow a little after 11.30pm on March 14. The first responders, who stumbled upon the bags stuffed with cash, shot videos of half-burnt currency notes of Rs 500 denomination around midnight. They left after dousing the fire around 1am on March 15. Delhi Police chief Arora first informed the home minister on March 15 and, later, briefed Delhi HC Chief Justice D K Upadhyay about the cash. Delhi Police chief Sanjay Arora also shared "certain still photographs and video" of the storeroom fire with the Delhi HC CJ, who in turn informed then CJI Sanjiv Khanna, triggering a chain of events which led to setting up of an inquiry into the sensational episode. The inquiry panel said in its report, "The information was shared by Arora with Justice D K Upadhyay in the late afternoon of March 15, who was out of station in Lucknow on account of Holi vacation, and he was informed that a report had been sent to the Union home minister, wherein there was reference that there were four or five half-burnt sacks of Indian currency at the spot." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like เทรด Bitcoin และ Ethereum - ไม่ต้องใช้กระเป๋าเงิน! IC Markets เริ่มต้นตอนนี้ Undo The inquiry panel comprising Punjab and Haryana CJ Sheel Nagu, Himachal Pradesh CJ G S Sandhawalia and Karnataka HC's Justice Anu Sivaraman had sent 10 phones belonging to the first responders, used for taking videos and still images of burning cash in the storeroom, for authentication by Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Chandigarh. The laboratory authenticated the images and videos - one of 67 seconds shot by head constable Roop Chand and another of 70 seconds shot by head constable Sunil Kumar. The panel said, "The phones have been analysed by us having been sent to CFSL, Chandigarh, and are per se admissible in view of the provisions of Section 329 of BNSS." Apart from legal admissibility of the evidence against Justice Varma, the panel said these pieces of evidence also stood corroborated by witnesses. "The said videos have been shown to independent eye-witnesses, including the fire/police personnel who were at the spot (and) who have vouched for the same," the panel said.

Hindustan Times

20 minutes ago

• Hindustan Times

PM Modi targets RJD, Cong in marker for Bihar elections

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a meeting in Siwan, Bihar, targeted the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress, talked up his National Demoratic Alliance's development credentials , and inaugurated projects worth ₹ 11,000 crore from a stage replete with eight Union ministers, the state's chief minister and two deputy chief ministers, providing a curtain raiser to assembly elections due later this year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to the crowd on his way to address a public rally with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary in Siwan, Bihar. (Santosh Kumar/HT) The Congress and the RJD hurt Bihar's pride and kept the state poor due to mafia raj, goonda raj and corruption, Modi said , taking a pointed shot at RJD's Lalu Prasad and alleging that the former chief minister insulted BR Ambedkar. The PM was speaking after laying the foundation stone of and inaugurating multiple development projects worth ₹ 11,000 crore. Modi, who is on a three-state tour, inaugurated the new Vaishali-Deoria railway line and a Vande Bharat Express between Patliputra and Gorakhpur via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah. He also flagged off a state-of-the-art locomotive - the first built at a plant in Marhowra in Saran district – for export to the Republic of Guinea. Modi said the Congress did not allow Bihar to move out of poverty and the worst sufferers were Dalit, Mahadalit, backward classes and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), while in the last 11 years a record 250 million Indians moved out of poverty. 'Bihar under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar played a key role in it, as 3.75-crore (37.5 million) people from the state pulled themselves out of poverty. Despite so many years of independence, half the population lived below the poverty line. People struggled to beat poverty, as they could not find a way. The state was reduced to a migration centre and destined to live with the misfortune of poverty. Now, it is time to be wary of the same forces, who kept it poor, as they are desperate for power while the state has prepared the launchpad for rapid growth,' he added. Bihar governor Arif Mohammad Khan, chief minister Nitish Kumar, Union ministers Jitan Ram Manjhi, Giriraj Singh, Lalan Singh, Chirag Paswan, Ramnath Thakur, Nityanand Rai, Satishchandra Dubey, and Raj Bhushan Choudhary, deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, state health minister Mangal Pandey and former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha were present on the occasion. This is PM's fourth visit to Bihar this year and third since April 24 in what is viewed as a build up for the crucial state elections scheduled in October-November. He reached the venue in a road show, waving to the people from an open vehicle along with CM Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Choudhary. Siwan is the birthplace of India's first President Dr Rajendra Prasad. Modi, who did not mention RJD's Prasad by name, also referred to a recent controversy where a portrait of Ambedkar was placed close to the feet of the ailing septuagenarian on his 78th birthday on June 11. 'Ambedkar was against dynasty rule. But they (RJD and its allies) do not like it. So they have his portrait placed at their feet. On my way, I saw posters demanding an apology for this insult to Babasaheb,' said Modi. 'But there has been no apology. This is because they hold Dalits in contempt. In contrast, Modi has Babasaheb in his heart and would like to keep his portrait close to his chest,' he added. According to the RJD, the controversy arose because of the camera angle at Prasad's residence. The party has said Prasad had his feet on a sofa because of 'medical advice', and a supporter stood close carrying the portrait of India's first law minister. Modi said that the panja (or hand – the Congress's symbol) and the lantern (the RJD's symbol) worked with a motive of 'Parivar ka Saath aur Parivar ka Vikas' (Support to family, growth to family), while the NDA works for Sabka saath, Sabka Vikas (inclusive development for all). He warned that those who brought 'jungle raj' to Bihar were looking for an opportunity to repeat their old deeds. 'You have to be very cautious for the bright future of your children. People who are ready to put the brakes on Bihar's developmental journey have to be kept at bay, as a prosperous Bihar is important for a prosperous India,' he added. Remembering Rajendra Prasad, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan, and social reformer Braj Kishor Prasad, Modi said Siwan was the land that lent strength to democracy and the Constitution and played a big role in the freedom movement. 'We are trying to take the same spirit forward with inclusive growth so that nobody is discriminated against and even the world recognises India's growth journey to be the third largest economy. I have faith in your abilities, as you are the ones who ended jungle Raj and then worked with the NDA to put the state on track,' he added. The PM said that the Marhowra rail factory was an example of the kind of Bihar the NDA striving to create. 'With the export of locomotives, Saran, which was abandoned by the RJD as backward, has made its place on the global map. Jungle Raj had stalled the growth engine, but now Bihar's engine will run in Africa. Bihar will be a big centre for Make in India and contribute to the nation's growth,' Modi said. The PM said in the last 10-11 years, over 55,000 kms of rural roads were built, 15 million houses got power connection and tap water, 45,000 common service centres were started and now there was a wave of start-ups in towns and cities. CM Nitish, who has been critical of the RJD over its governance track record, took potshots at the main rival, without naming the party. 'Did the ones in power until we took over care for governance? People were scared of stepping out of their homes because of the law and order situation. Such a contrasting sight today when we have boys, girls, and so many women moving freely,'he said. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Tejashwi Yadav blunted the PM's attack and asked him to stop misleading the people. 'Why is Bihar still grappling with poverty, unemployment, migration, pitiable state of health and education, gross nepotism in appointments, poor state of industrialisation? He[Modi] has no answer, but he can only mislead. The crowd was forcibly assembled for the rally,' he said.

Indian Express

35 minutes ago

• Indian Express

Labelling ASEAN countries as China's ‘B-team' unwarranted, insulting: Congress

The Congress on Friday hit out at Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal for his remarks against the India-ASEAN trade agreements, signed under the UPA government, saying labelling these countries as 'B team of China' is 'irresponsible and insulting'. Speaking at the India Global Forum (IGF) session in London, Goyal said, 'There was a point of time 15 years ago when we were more focused on doing FTAs with countries who were our competitors. So if I am doing an ASEAN agreement, it really is silly because (that is) opening up my market to my competitors, many of whom have now become the B team of China.' 'So effectively and indirectly, I have opened up my market for goods that find their way from China into India,' Goyal had said. Sharma, a former Union Commerce Minister, Friday said in a statement, 'Piyush Goyal's statement terming the Trade agreement with ASEAN as silly and labelling these countries as B team of China is irresponsible and insulting.' He said India and ASEAN countries 'have been engaged in a multifaceted relationship for over three decades' which is 'mutually rewarding and important'. 'This is an integral part of the Look East policy to deepen and diversify India's relations with a region economically vibrant and of enormous geostrategic importance…' 'The Commerce Minister should be prioritising strengthening trade relations with partner countries and not insulting them while bending backwards to negotiate a suboptimal trade agreement with US on its terms,' he added.