Months before the Assembly elections in Bihar, Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah while addressing a virtual rally to reach out to the party workers on Sunday, 7 June, said, "The virtual rally has nothing to do with Bihar poll campaign, it's aimed at connecting with people in the fight against COVID-19."
He, however, also added that the NDA will form the government with 2/3rd majority in Bihar under Nitish Kumar's leadership.
"There are elections in Bihar in the coming days. I believe that under Nitish Kumar ji's leadership, NDA will form the government with 2/3rd majority. But this isn't the time for politics. We all should fight COVID-19 under Modi ji's leadership," he said.
Amid rising tensions between India and China at the border, he also spoke of India being able to protect its borders better than most countries.
"India's defence policy has gained global acceptance. The whole world agrees that after USA and Israel if there is any other country that is able to protect its borders, it is India,", he said as per ANI.
Ahead of the rally , RJD leaders, including Tejashwi Yadav, Rabri Devi and Tej Pratap Yadav, as well as workers staged protests, beating utensils and blowing conch shells against what they termed as the ruling party’s celebration of the devastation caused by COVID-19 and the nationwide lockdown, reported news agency PTI.
Taking a dig at RJD leaders, Shah said, "Some people welcomed our today's virtual rally by clanging 'thalis'. I am glad they finally heard PM Modi's appeal to show gratitude towards those fighting COVID19," as per ANI.
He also said,
“Opposition leaders dismissed PM’s efforts to unite country in fight against COVID-19 as political propaganda, nation followed his appeals.”Amit Shah, Home Minister
On Saturday, Tejashwi Yadav told PTI that electioneering amidst the coronavirus crisis is nothing but "political vulturism", and alleged that the saffron party was only interested in electoral victory even at the cost of human lives.
The state government in Bihar is currently an NDA coalition, including BJP and Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United). The Opposition in the state is led by Lalu Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
(With inputs from PTI.)
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