BJP will use dev talk, communal polarisation for Bihar polls:

BJP will use a two-faced strategy of development talk and communal polarisation, which had worked wonders for the party in 2014 general elections, during the upcoming "watershed event" of Bihar polls, a former Union minister and senior Congress leader said here today.
Referring to quota agitation launched by members of Patel community in Gujarat, ex-Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said the "black swan" political event has exposed BJP's Gujarat model of development and added that the stir and Bihar polls results will have "tremendous consequences" on the country's polity.
On AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal supporting Nitish Kumar, who is the chief ministerial face of JD (U)-RJD-Congress alliance, Ramesh said that there is nothing wrong in having his backing to ensure a "Narendra Modi-free" Bihar.

"The watershed event is going to be assembly elections in Bihar. The Government's strategy on Bihar election is a two-faced strategy. It is more or less the strategy adopted in 2014 Lok Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh.
"The strategy rhetoric from the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) on development, infrastructure, fulfilling aspirations of youth at top, but the actual mobilisation on the ground is one that is based on communal polarization," Ramesh told reporters at Indian Women's Press Corps.
Asserting that Centre's decision to release population figures based on religion is "not accidental" and that it is linked with building maahol (atmosphere) for Bihar polls, Ramesh said caste and Nitish Kumar's track record will be key factors during the polls.

Given the BJP is not projecting any leader as chief ministerial candidate, Ramesh said it is a direct contest between Kumar and the Prime Minister.
"Caste, whatever you say, is an important factor in the poll. Track record of Nitish Kumar is going to be an important factor. The BJP is not going to the election with any leader (as its face), so clearly it is a Nitish versus Modi sort of a contest," he added.
Ramesh exuded confidence that the Congress, which is contesting 40 out of the total 243 seats in the state with JD (U) and RJD as its partners, alliance will be able "to stop the BJP juggernaut".