Bihar politics: Amit Shah's 'Jan Bhavna Mahasabha' in Purnia to set the tone for 2024 General elections

New Delhi: After former ally, JD(U) stepped out of the BJP-led NDA on August 9, Union Home Minister Amit Shah embarked on a two-day visit to Bihar from Friday to set the tone for the 2024 General elections. Amit Shah will address a mega rally named `Jan Bhavna Mahasabha` in Bihar`s Purnia at `Rangbhoomi ground` this afternoon. Notably, the BJP is likely to have a direct battle with the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, which holds 40 Lok Sabha seats.

To make Amit Shah`s rallies successful, several state BJP leaders including Union Ministers, MPs, and MLAs are camping in the bordering districts, including Purnia, Kishanganj, Katihar, and Araria, for several days and meeting with local people and leaders. The Seemanchal region of north Bihar comprises four districts of Purnia, Kishanganj, Katihar and Araria, where the Muslim population is in sizeable number to influence the success of a political party`s candidate in both Assembly and General elections. 

The four districts, which share their border with West Bengal and Bangladesh, represent 24 Assembly seats and four Parliamentary seats. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, BJP won just one seat of Araria, while JD(U) had won two seats of Purnia and Katihar while Kishanganj seat went to the Congress party. In 2019, both BJP and JD(U) fought elections together as allies. 

Also read: Amit Shah in Bihar to prepare ground for 2024 Lok Sabha Polls

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also address a meeting of Bihar BJP MPs, MLAs and former ministers at Mata Gujri University, Kishanganj, besides addressing the Bihar BJP Core Committee meeting.

Union minister Giriraj Singh has been camping in Seemanchal for a while to supervise the preparations for Shah's visit while making headlines with comments on alleged "demographic change" in Seemanchal and activities of the PFI. The MP from Begusarai has been pulling no punches while blaming "appeasement politics" for terrorism, unchecked population growth and infiltration of illegal immigrants.

Also read: NIA searches underway at PFI office in Bihar's Purnia

Speaking about Amit Shah's visit to Bihar, MoS Home, Nityanand Rai told ANI, "There is great enthusiasm among the people about this `Jan Bhavna Mahasabha`. Besides the workers of the BJP, the common people themselves have made preparations for the success of this huge rally". Rai hit out at the ruling Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar and said that people are outraged due to the "collapse of law and order" in the state since the takeover of the new government.

Former Deputy Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Modi said that the BJP cadre is happy with the exit of Nitish Kumar from the alliance adding that the party will now be able to win more seats in the state. ANI quoted Sushil Modi as saying, "Today`s rally of Amit Shah will boost the morale of BJP leaders and cadres. Now party does not need support from JD(U). Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah`s face is good enough to win a majority of Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 general election." 

The Rajya Sabha MP alleged that Nitish Kumar "hatched a conspiracy" to bring the "Jungle Raj part-2" in Bihar with the support of RJD, adding "But the same time Chief Minister and Tejashwi Yadav forget that time has changed now and the people of Bihar understand very well that crime, corruption and nepotism are no more acceptable in an era of BJP-led NDA government at the Centre." 

On condition of anonymity, another BJP leader said that Amit Shah will set the tone for the party for the upcoming general elections with today`s rally as BJP plans to win over 35 seats out of 40 in the state.

Notably, the loss of power, in the third week of August, came as a rude shock for the BJP which had, less than a month earlier, held with much fanfare a two-day conclave in Patna -- attended by Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda. The BJP has been accused of having tried to break the JD(U) through former Union minister RCP Singh, whose induction had caused controversy.

(With ANI/PTI Inputs)