PM Modi invokes Karpoori legacy, vows to shield Bihar from ‘jungle raj’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 24 sounded the poll bugle in Bihar with a fiery double rally in Samastipur and Begusarai — invoking the legacy of socialist icon Karpoori Thakur while pledging to keep the state free from the “jungle raj” of corruption and lawlessness.

Marking the formal start of the NDA’s campaign for the November Assembly elections, Modi wove a potent narrative of social justice, development, and cultural pride — and asserted that the Nitish Kumar-led coalition would “break electoral records” this time.

Before his first rally in Samastipur, the Prime Minister paid tribute to Karpoori Thakur at his ancestral village, Karpoori Gram, calling him an “inspiration” for leaders from humble backgrounds.

“It is due to his blessings that people like me and Nitish ji, coming from poor families, can serve from this stage,” Modi told the crowd. “In independent India, his role in ensuring social justice was immense. Honouring him with the Bharat Ratna was our fortune.”

Switching seamlessly between reverence and rhetoric, Modi launched a blistering attack on the Mahagathbandhan, branding its leaders as “those out on bail in scams worth thousands of crores.” He accused the RJD and Congress of “insulting” Thakur’s legacy by “trying to steal the title of Jan Nayak.”

In a cultural flourish aimed at the Mithilanchal region, Modi reminded the crowd that Goddess Sita — regarded as a daughter of Mithila — was “Lord Ram’s consort,” linking the construction of the Ayodhya Ram Temple to local pride.

At his Begusarai rally, Modi coined a new taunt — calling the Opposition alliance “Maha-lathbandhan,” a play on “lathi” (baton) — and accused the Congress of betraying Bihar’s own Sitaram Kesri. “It was in 2005 that Bihar was freed from jungle raj. Since then, Nitish ji’s good governance began a new chapter. But the Congress and RJD always worked to keep Bihar backward,” he said, asserting that NDA governments had tripled central funding to the state.

In a theatrical moment, Modi asked supporters to light up their mobile torches. As a sea of flashlights flickered across the grounds, he quipped, “Itni light hai, har haath mein light hai — toh lalten chahiye kya? Bihar ko lalten aur unke saathi nahi chahiye.” The jab at RJD’s lantern symbol drew roaring applause.

Throughout his speeches, Modi carefully balanced praise for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with a broader pitch for the “NDA sarkar,” underscoring coalition unity without conceding primacy. “Phir ek baar, NDA sarkar; phir ek baar, sushasan sarkar — jungle raj walon ko door rakhega Bihar,” he thundered.

Flanking him on stage, Nitish nodded as Modi listed the government’s outreach to OBCs, EBCs, Dalits, Mahadalits, and economically weaker groups — highlighting constitutional status for the OBC Commission and new reservations in medical education.

Recalling the violence and fear of Lalu Prasad Yadav’s rule, Modi said, “In those days, the gates of police stations were closed for the poor and Dalits. Maoism and crime thrived. But today, Bihar has left that behind — and just as Naxalism ended here, it will soon end across India.”

As the sun set on his rallies, Modi left the crowds with a pointed promise: that Bihar’s voters would once again rise to defend “sushasan” — and ensure that “lanterns of the past never dim the light of development.”