Modi says Nitish 'back-stabbed' people of Bihar

The PM kickstarted NDA's poll campaign in Bihar today

Kickstarting NDA's poll campaign in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today focussed his attack on former BJP ally and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing him of "back-stabbing" the people of the state and alleging that there is some problem with his "DNA".

Modi also targeted Kumar for allying with RJD, saying he was trying to drag the state back to the 'jungle raj', and asked the voters to reject such people as they "cannot be trusted" again and elect NDA with a two-third majority for changing Bihar's fate.

He said Bihar will be given a special package "bigger" than Rs 50,000 crore which he had promised earlier and that will be announced after the end of Monsoon session of Parliament as his "lips are sealed till then".

Addressing a public meeting here, he said Kumar practices "political untouchability" as he recalled how the JD(U) leader had refused to entertain him after inviting him over dinner and had snapped ties with BJP because of his dislike towards him two years back.

Modi took a dig at Lalu for his comments about "drinking poison", which was made in an apparent reference to his accepting Kumar's leadership. He said while he had chosen to do so for his "vested interest", why was he forcing the people of Bihar to "drink poison" along with him.

"During the last elections, Kumar had said that if he was unable to provide electricity to entire Bihar, he would not come to ask for votes again in 2015...But have you got the electricity? It has not come. But he has come to ask for votes. He betrayed your trust. Forget me, he even back-stabbed you. Such people cannot be trusted again," he said.

Seeking to play a dalit card, he said Kumar had practised "political untouchability" not only towards him but also a "mahadalit" former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, an erstwhile leader of JD(U), who has since joined NDA.

He said even George Fernandes, former associate of Nitish Kumar, and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, were not treated well by him even though they had worked shoulder-to-shoulder with him.

"There seems to be some problem in his DNA because the DNA of democracy is not like that. In democracy, you give respect even to your political rivals," he said.