File Photo: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
Continuing his attack on the BJP, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said people in the poll-bound state will decide if they want a 'Bihari' or a 'Bahri' (outsider) government.
"Who will run Bihar, a Bihari (insider) or a 'Bahri' (outsider)?" Mr Kumar asked while addressing an election rally at Nathnagar in Bhagalpur.
Mr Kumar said while he was a native who would have a greater attachment to the state, the NDA was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was an outsider.
In a bid to highlight good governance during his rule, he said Bihar has travelled so far on its own resources and "not at the mercy of anybody."
While Nitish Kumar has been declared the chief ministerial candidate of the grand secular alliance, the NDA was fighting the Bihar elections with the Prime Minister as the mascot, thus making the contest a keen fight between Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Modi.
Mr Kumar told the gathering that the Bihar election was not only based on local issues but "will decide which way Indian politics will go" and exhorted voters to be cautious in electing a government.
He also highlighted the unity among grand alliance partners, saying it has amicably chosen its leader as well as the candidates, whereas there was "infighting" in the NDA over seats as well as candidate selection.
At another rally at Begusarai, Kumar accused the current BJP leadership of sending their stalwarts, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, into the "cold storage".
He also came down heavily against the Prime Minister accusing him of "taking the people for a ride" by not fulfilling the promise of depositing Rs 15-20 lakh in every citizen's bank account from the black money brought back to the country.