Patna: The top leaders of the “grand secular alliance” — Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav — came together for the first time ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, and claimed victory over the vexed Land Bill as they tore into Prime Minister Narendra Modi over “unfulfilled promises” and “insult” to Bihari pride.
In a huge “Swabhiman Rally” at Patna’s politically-significant Gandhi Maidan on Sunday, that was also attended by Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav, younger brother of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, these parties, for the first time in years, presented a grand show of support, cutting across caste lines, to an audience that largely comprised rural voters from far-flung parts of Bihar.
Mrs Gandhi attacked Mr Modi for his silence over the various recent scams. She said the Modi government had done nothing except “show-baazi” despite having completed one-fourth of its tenure.
