Lalu takes aim at Narendra Modi amid Bihar poll fever

As Bihar gears up for assembly elections, political heat escalated on Friday, 22 August, as RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his scheduled visit to Gaya.

On X, Lalu Prasad Yadav posted a video and message in Hindi, roughly translating to: “Gaya is famous for Pind Daan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting, but he should perform the Pind Daan for the double-engine government that denied Bihar special status, curtailed the rights of the poor and backward, weakened constitutional institutions, and left the state impoverished and crime-ridden.”

The BJP, meanwhile, is presenting the prime minister’s visit as a showcase of its development work in Bihar. PM Modi is scheduled to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for projects worth over Rs 12,000 crore, including the Gaya-New Delhi Amrit Bharat Express and the six-lane Aunta-Simaria bridge in Mokama.

The event will also see the presence of key NDA leaders, including Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, signalling the alliance’s united front. Projects include major infrastructure, connectivity, and welfare schemes aimed at boosting Bihar’s development.

The political optics of the visit are sharply divided. The RJD has dismissed Modi’s frequent Bihar tours as “election stunts” aimed at swaying voters, while the NDA frames them as part of its ongoing “Vikas Yatra,” showcasing a genuine commitment to the state’s growth.

Political analysts note that Modi’s repeated visits underscore the BJP’s determination to consolidate its electoral position in Bihar and counter the Opposition’s aggressive campaign. With the elections approaching, development announcements and pointed political messaging are expected to dominate the state’s political landscape.

With IANS inputs