)
"There is no need for you to be apologetic, there is no need for you to feel demoralised. Bihar is a great state, as great as Gujarat and what we have done in Gujarat can be easily adapted and replicated in Bihar where circumstances are different. You have been treated badly. It won't happen again," said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi addressing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Bihar via teleconferencing.
Modi made a veiled attack against his bete noire Nitish Kumar saying those who 'betrayed' the BJP will be defeated by people of the state. "There is a 1974-like anti-Congress wave prevailing in the country now. The mandate of the people of Bihar was for NDA. Like then (in 1974), those who betrayed the people's mandate in Bihar will be taught a lesson," Modi told party leaders without taking the name of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Interestingly, his pitch to workers was as much to emphasise relations between Gujarat and Bihar, as it was to enthuse BJP workers.
Relations between Bihar and Gujarat are very old, he said adding he had celebrated Bihar Diwas in Surat and Ahmedabad. "We (Bihar and Gujarat) are made for each other," Modi said. He said he had been born in a village with Buddhist connections. Bihar Chief Minister (CM) Nitish Kumar won't be forgiven for breaking alliance with the BJP, Modi said. In an effort to undo previous damage - some comments made by him were considered slights by Bihari people, especially some remarks about non-resident Biharis which Nitish Kumar capitalised upon to prevent him from campaigning in the state - Modi said he respected the wisdom and talent of people of Bihar.
There was no visible Hindutva outreach, only an appeal to Bihari pride..
Modi is known to be a technology geek and uses technology everywhere he possibly can. His fascination for gadgets that make communication easier is well-known and today, after the break-up of BJP's alliance with Janata Dal (United), he addressed workers on using special equipment to dial 500 numbers simultaneously. "Modi had used audio bridge communication technology during the last assembly elections and also recent by-polls to two Lok Sabha seats. Senior BJP workers of Bihar unit had requested him to address them by this technology to boost their morale," BJP sources said.
Much was made of the teleconferencing address with BJP workers wildly enthusiastic about it. Modi spoke to some 1500 workers simultaneously but it was an address by him to them. What they said to him was not immediately clear.
Modi stayed way from Bihar in the 2009 as well as 2010 assembly elections after Nitish Kumar and the JD(U), which was in alliance with the BJP said he would not be welcome in Bihar.
After Modi's elevation to the post of BJP's campaign committee chief, JD(U) snapped its ties 17-year-old ties with BJP.
The BJP has 12 Lok Sabha members from Bihar at present while its erstwhile partner JD(U) has 20. The RJD has 4, Congress 2 and as many others are independents.
