Modi Urges Women for Record Turnout in Bihar Polls

New Delhi: Making his final pitch on the last day of the campaign for 121 seats in the first phase of Bihar polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged women voters for a record-breaking turnout on the voting days—November 6 and November 11. Mr Modi predicted a big win for the ruling NDA alliance in the state and the Opposition Mahagathbandhan rout in the impending polls.

Interacting with the BJP's women workers as part of the "Mera Booth Sabse Majboot" programme, Mr Modi asserted, "NDA ki sarkar banna pucca hai. Jungle raj walon ki sabse karari haar milegi." The BJP refers to the RJD rule in the state as "jungle raj".

"The people of Bihar have made up their mind that this time they are going to make the NDA victorious and break the record of the last 20 years. The people of jungle raj will see their biggest defeat. The development of Bihar can only be done under the NDA," said Mr Modi.

During the programme, Mr Modi also took a dig at Congress's Rahul Gandhi, calling him "Dilli wale yuvraj" who has "no clue about Bihar" and had hurt the faith of Bihar, referring to the controversy after Mr Gandhi's social media message on Chhath. He also targeted RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and INDIA bloc chief ministerial candidate for the Bihar polls for making tall promises to the voters of Bihar after devastating the state under the rule of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi.

Interacting with the BJP women workers through the NaMo app, Mr Modi hailed women of the state as the "strongest force behind social change" and said they have turned government schemes into people’s movements.

Seeking votes for the NDA, Mr Modi also cautioned women workers to be aware and spread awareness regarding misuse of AI by creating fake news against the ruling alliance and its leaders ahead of polling.

Urging women workers to treat polling days as a celebration of democracy, Mr Modi requested the BJP leaders to make sure that those who have come home for the Chhath festival cast their votes.

The Prime Minister said that he noticed that during his rallies "nari shakti" have been coming in the largest numbers and urged that this time women voters should outdo men voters.

Mr Modi emphasised that the NDA “double-engine government” has prioritised women-led development through initiatives such as Ujjwala Yojana, PM Awas Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission, which have empowered women to become decision-makers within their homes and communities.

Recalling the dark days of jungle raj, Mr Modi urged the party karyakartas to remind voters, especially first-time voters, of how "lawlessness, corruption and fear once defined Bihar". “Those who once pushed Bihar into darkness are now talking about women’s safety and rights. Their record speaks for itself,” he said.

“Women get opportunities to progress when good governance prevails and the rule of law is established in the state. That is why the daughters of Bihar are now becoming job providers through self-employment," he said.

The Prime Minister said that during the era of jungle raj, it was difficult for women to step out of their homes, but now that is not the case. "Now, women work fearlessly in hospitals, railway stations and other places even during night hours," he said.

"The women of Bihar have stood like a wall against jungle raj… We have to ensure that the NDA gets the votes of all women," Mr Modi said, adding that they have resolved to never allow the return of those unruly times… This is the reason the proponents of jungle raj are busy telling all sorts of lies to the women of Bihar," he said.

Mr Modi remarked that the Opposition alliance in Bihar is not a “gathbandhan” but a “gharbandhan", a group of families protecting their dynasties. He also recalled how he had launched his campaign trail in the state by paying tributes to Bharat Ratna awardee Karpoori Thakur's residence at his village.