‘Nitish Kumar more popular than BJP leaders’: Voices from a BJP outreach on Bihar Diwas

Ajit Jha from Phulparas in Madhubani district echoed Sujeet. “It is certain that the NDA will return to power. But the confusion is over the CM as Nitish’s son, Nishant is also leaning towards politics. It will not be easy for the BJP to get the CM’s post,” he said.

The event on Saturday was among the series of programmes that the BJP held across India to commemorate Bihar Diwas, or the state’s foundation day, on March 22 to connect with the migrant Bihari population ahead of the polls. The Noida event saw BJP leaders address the gathering in Hindi, Bhojpuri as well as Maithili, highlighting the successes of the Nitish Kumar government while pointing out the “jungle raj” under the Lalu Prasad-led RJD, which they claimed led to migration from the state. BJP estimates peg the number of non-resident people of Bihar to be around 2 crore.

“People migrated from (former CM) Lalu Prasad’s tenure between 1990 and 2005 when kidnapping and murder had transformed into an industry and caste violence was prevalent in the state,” said Sanjay Jaiswal, the BJP’s Paschim Champaran MP and its former Bihar unit chief.

Contrasting it with the NDA’s “development”, Jaiswal said the travel time between Bihar and Noida had greatly reduced with the development of highways. To showcase the “development” under NDA rule, cut-outs of infrastructure projects in Bihar bearing pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president J P Nadda were displayed.

As people arrived at the venue, BJP leaders collected their details, including contact numbers, local addresses and names of their Assembly constituency in Bihar. Sources said the details would be used by the party to contact the people and urge them to convince their relatives back home to vote for the NDA.

Jaiswal also appealed to people to visit their hometown during the next Chhat Puja celebrations and assured that Nitish would make “all arrangements for their travel”. “Tell your neighbours and relatives back home about the progress the country is making under this government and urge them to vote for the NDA (in Bihar),” he said.

The former Bihar BJP chief also reminded people of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Nitish’s promise of building a Sita temple in Sitamarhi on the lines of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Before the arrival of the guests, such as BJP UP president Bhupendra Chaudhary and Noida MLA Pankaj Singh, Bhojpuri singers sang bhajans of Lord Ram.

Coordinating the events on the stage, where a map of Bihar was on display, was Noida BJP leader Raj Kumar Jha, who said the BJP was the first party to celebrate Bihar Diwas.

On the CM question, 46-year-old Shriram Kushwaha, who migrated to Noida 12 years ago, said, “Nitish undertook development even when he was not with the BJP. Let us see who will be the CM after the polls. (Former Deputy CM and RJD leader) Tejashwi Yadav is a strong contender but the Nitish-backed NDA looks stronger. If the NDA manages to get a majority, either Nitish himself will be the CM or someone whom he chooses will take his place. He is more popular than BJP leaders.”

Brijesh Mahto, 58, migrated from Barh to Noida around 40 years ago and seemed impressed with the BJP’s efforts to celebrate Bihar Diwas. “Bihariyo ka kadar ho rahi hai. Isse vote khichayenge (People of Bihar are being respected. BJP is doing this to attract votes). This is the first time such an event is happening. Only Nitish developed Bihar… Lalu only did jaatiwaad (caste politics),” he said.