Development must be the agenda in Bihar: Modi (Lead, Changing dateline)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that development should be the main agenda in the Bihar assembly polls.

"Development should be the main issue," Modi told a huge rally here in Bhagalpur, about 200 km from Patna.

Modi reminded people that he had announced a Rs.1.25 lakh crore special package for Bihar's development last month.

He said he had forced the alliance of the Janata Dal-United, Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress to talk about development.

"I am happy that development has become an issue for them also."

But Modi targeted the alliance leaders by saying they were silent at their Patna rally on Sunday on how to develop Bihar.

"All of them only chanted Modi, Modi, nothing else, to target me."

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader urged the people to ask the "grand alliance" to provide a balance sheet of their 25 years of rule in Bihar.

This was Modi's fourth rally in the run up to the assembly polls.