'Confident' PM says lotus will bloom with every attack

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the more Rashtriya Janata Party (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar attack the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the more it would gain.

"Laluji-Nitishji please listen this very carefully, the more you engage in mudslinging more the lotus will bloom," Prime Minister Modi said while addressing a rally here.

"They do not have any other work than insulting Modi. They come up with new (insulting) words daily. Modi is being abused daily," he added.

Asserting that he would give an account of the work done by him to the nation in 2019, Prime Minister Modi challenged the duo of Nitish and Lalu to give an account of their work during their 25 years rule in the state.

"They ruled for 25 years, it is not a short period, a child becomes capable enough to feed his family in 25 years. What did you give to Bihar?" he added.

Stating that the BJP is contesting the elections on the agenda of development, he said, "Congress-RJD-JDU should've done same but they are still living in 1990."

Taking a jibe at the grand alliance, Prime Minister Modi said that the RJD chief would extend his support to Nitish only if the latter becomes the Chief Minister.

"When somebody asked Lalu ji, who will be opposition leader if 'mahagathbandhan' loses in Bihar polls then Laluji answered that he had supported Nitish for the Chief Minister's post and not as a leader of the opposition," he said.

A record 57.59 per cent turnout was registered in the fourth phase of assembly elections in Bihar for which polling was held yesterday.

The fifth and the final round of election will be held on November 5. The counting of votes will take place on November 8.

Campaigning for the election will end on November 3.