Bihar CM Nitish Kumar creates a flutter, says this is his 'last election'

The 69-year-old chief minister has governed the state for four terms

Bihar Chief Mininster Nitish Kumar created a flutter on Thursday when he declared the assembly polls under way in the state were his “last”.

“Today is the last day (of campaign for the final phase of assembly election). Polling will take place the day after tomorrow. This is my last election,” he told an election rally here in Purnea district in the dying moments of electioneering.

Tejashwi Yadav, the opposition Grand Alliance's chief ministerial contender, has often claimed Kumar was “tired”.

The 69-year-old leader has ruled the state for nearly 15 years and served as a union minister quite a few times.

Nitish Kumar, who is seeking a fourth straight term in office, urged the electors to vote the NDA to power yet again.

“All's well that ends well,” he said.

Campaign ends 

Campaigning for the third and final phase of Bihar assembly elections in which 2.35 crore voters will decide the electoral fate of more than 1,200 candidates, including the Speaker and some members of the state cabinet, ended on Thursday evening.

The final phase of polling on Saturday will cover 78 constituencies spread across 19 north Bihar districts.

Leading from the front, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed rallies in remote districts of Araria and Saharsa for this phase of elections, exhorting the masses to retain their trust in the NDA.

He asserted that the coalition headed in the state by Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar was looking forward to meet the “aspirations” of people in the decade to follow, having fulfilled their “needs” in the preceding one.

Nitish slams Yogi 

NDA partners BJP and the JD(U) appear divided on the contentious new citizenship law, with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asserting illegal immigrants will be thrown out of the country and the alliance's CM face for Bihar Nitish Kumar calling such talk “faltu baat”.

Notes of dissonance emanated from the JD(U)-BJP stable on Wednesday when Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed displeasure over the hard line adopted by some in the coalition over illegal immigration, comments seen as a rebuff to his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath.

Kumar, who heads the Janata Dal (United) and enjoys support of a section of the state's Muslims, frowned upon the “faltu baat” (rubbish) at rallies in Araria and Kishanganj districts on Wednesday. Both districts have a heavy concentration of the minority community.

“Who are these people indulging in faltu baat... that people will be thrown out of the country? Ever since you have given us a chance to serve, we have taken all people along.

NDA govt needed in Bihar for uninterrupted development: PM

Asserting that reforms are impossible in an environment of mismanagement and anarchy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he needs the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar to ensure that there is no paucity in the state's development and the welfare schemes continue there uninterrupted.

In an open letter to the people of Bihar ahead of the final phase of voting on Saturday, Modi said people have full faith that only the NDA government can work for the state's development.

“I am convinced about the development of Bihar. I need the Nitish Kumar government to ensure that there is no paucity in Bihar's development and the welfare schemes continue there uninterrupted,” he said.

“I have full faith that the power of 'double engine' will take Bihar to new heights of development in this decade,” Modi said.

In his four-page letter in Hindi. the prime minister also said that better infrastructure and rule of law are imperative for social and economic prosperity and only NDA can provide that in Bihar.

NDA has done work in all sectors in Bihar -- electricity, water, roads, health, education and for law and order, he said.

Modi said it was a matter of pride that the focus in Bihar polls has been on development. He said that the NDA has presented its report card to people and also shared its vision for the future.

While the first two phases of voting for Bihar assembly elections have taken place, the final round will be held on November 7, followed by counting of votes for all 243 seats on November 10.

Modi has himself addressed a number of rallies in the state during the election campaign, seeking the return of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state. PTI