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Bihar polls offer choice between good governance, jungle raj, says Yogi Adityanath
Those who sold lantern kerosene out to consume rations, says Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath in Bihar
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday targeted the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress in Bihar, saying those who once plunged the state into darkness by selling lantern kerosene have now returned to consume people’s rations.
Repeating his oft-quoted “batenge toh katenge, ek rahenge toh safe rahenge ((division will lead to destruction)” line, he also said that dynastic mafias have become active again to loot Bihar, but the people will give them a decisive reply.
Sharpening his attack on the Opposition, he further said “creating anarchy is their birthright” and the crowds responded with the chants of “Bulldozer Baba Zindabad.”
The enthusiasm seen among mothers, farmers and youth during the first phase of polling clearly reflected public confidence in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), he added.
“The 65% voter turnout shows that when EVMs open on November 14, the NDA’s slogan will once again resonate across Bihar,” he said on the first day of his campaign after the first round of polling held on Thursday.
Yogi Adityanath addressed public rallies at Razaul, Loria and Dhaka assembly constituencies, according to a press release.
He described the election as a choice between good governance and jungle raj. “The same forces that pushed Bihar into caste conflicts, massacres, kidnappings, and loot between 1990 and 2005 are back in a new disguise,” he said.
He said the people of Bihar stand for development and cultural pride and not for caste-based politics and corruption. “Just as we built homes for the poor by seizing mafia property in UP, Bihar too will eliminate crime and Naxalism through good governance,” he said.
The Uttar Pradesh chief minister asserted that Union home minister Amit Shah has promised that Naxalism will no longer be there in the country after 2026.
Adityanath warned that the RJD-Congress’s return to power would halt development and welfare initiatives and bring back the jungle raj era.
During their rule, Bihar had become synonymous with lawlessness, where businessmen, engineers, doctors, and even daughters were frequently kidnapped, he said.
Instead of taking strict action, the then government chose to appease criminals under the guise of mediation, he alleged.
He said the Mahagathbandhan lacked the courage to implement a zero-tolerance policy against crime and asserted, “When bulldozers move against the mafia, even their leaders tremble.”
He said the Congress, RJD, and their allies were protecting the rioters, encouraging kidnappings, and nurturing dynastic mafias.
He asked the voters not to be misled again, recalling that during the RJD-Congress regime, the youth were duped with false promises of jobs while their lands were seized.
“Back then, kidnapping had become an industry,” he said.
“Under Nitish Kumar’s leadership, this has been checked,” he said, adding that those who witnessed the dark days of jungle raj, anarchy, and corruption before 2005 should inform the younger generation of that reality.
“The sweetness of Bhojpuri has spread across the world. Wherever Bhojpuri culture has reached, it has turned barren lands fertile. Artists are a divine gift and must be respected. I even gave up my parliamentary seat from Gorakhpur to Bhojpuri artist Ravi Kishan,” he further said.
He accused the RJD and the Congress of tainting Bihar’s glorious legacy by dividing people along caste lines and pushing the youth into an identity crisis.
“They stalled Bihar’s progress, but the masters of infiltrators in Dhaka will now be dealt with,” he said.
“The youth will no longer be misled by those who thrive on division. Bihar today stands with development and the NDA.”
“Today’s Bihar takes pride in both development and heritage. With expanding road networks, power supply, water facilities, and new medical and engineering colleges, Bihar is shaping a new identity,” he said.
He accused the Congress and the RJD of conspiring to create unrest by turning border areas like Dhaka into centres of infiltration and assured the people that the NDA would foil such conspiracies.
