File photo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the gathering during the stone laying ceremony of Mumbai Metro in Mumbai on Sunday, October 11, 2015. (Press Trust of India)
Describing the Bihar elections as a "hope versus despair" contest, the BJP today said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad had joined hands only to try stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi from bringing progress in the state.
"Bihar election is being fought on only two issues - it is hope versus despair. This despair is of Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad. Lalu Prasad has clearly said that he has allied with Nitish Kumar only to stop Narendra Modi. That is why it is an issue in Bihar polls," senior BJP leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in New Delhi.
He said PM Modi wants to ensure development and progress of Bihar and that is why he has announced a package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore, along with previous packages of Rs 40,000 crore, but RJD leader Lalu Prasad and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar want to stop the Prime Minister from moving forward.
"On the ground, there is a big wave in our favour," he claimed, adding that the people of the state have decided to cast their vote in favour of development as they want to see Bihar's progress.
Mr Prasad also outrightly rejected misgivings over any review of the current reservation policy as sought by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
He said the Prime Minister during Ambedkar Jayanti in Mumbai had clarified that there will be no review of the reservation policy, and so did BJP chief Amit Singh and Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley.
"They have all said it. Our viewpoint is very clear," he said, adding, "Bihar's public is electing this time for development, hope and aspiration".
The BJP-led NDA is locked in a close fight with the Grand Alliance of JD-U, RJD and Congress. The results for the five-phased Bihar assembly polls, which is underway, will be out on November 8.