PM Modi addressing a rally in Bihar last week
Patna:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed rallies in Bihar on Monday as parts of the state voted on the first day of five-phase polling for the assembly election.
PM Modi addressed large crowds in in Jehanabad and Bhabua, which will go to the polls on Friday in the second round.
Permission for the rally at Bhabua had earlier been denied by the district administration on grounds of security, despite clearance from the Special Protection Group which handles the prime minister's security.
"Now I know why there was an attempt to stop me," PM Modi said in Jhabua, describing the gathering as huge. "You will try to stop me? I am a labourer, I will walk it if I need to," he commented.
The BJP had on Sunday urged Bihar's Chief Electoral Officer Ajay Nayak to step in and help clear the way for the PM's rally. The party alleged that the Nitish Kumar government was forcing the administration to withhold permission.
The rival grand alliance of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav and the Congress had objected to the live telecast of the prime minister's speech while voting was on in other parts of Bihar.
"When the PM speaks, voters could be influenced in the areas that are polling," Lalu Prasad, the chief of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, said.
Last week, the Prime Minister addressed six rallies in two days.
KC Tyagi, a leader of the state's ruling Janata Dal United, said: "We told the Election Commission that the PM's public meeting is a violation of the model code of conduct."
The Election Commission, however, refused to stop the telecast.
"There is no ban on the live telecast of PM Narendra Modi's rally because he is holding rallies in constituencies where there is no voting," said a senior Bihar election officer, pointing out that the rules don't allow campaigning only in areas where voting is on.
PM Modi addressed large crowds in in Jehanabad and Bhabua, which will go to the polls on Friday in the second round.
Permission for the rally at Bhabua had earlier been denied by the district administration on grounds of security, despite clearance from the Special Protection Group which handles the prime minister's security.
"Now I know why there was an attempt to stop me," PM Modi said in Jhabua, describing the gathering as huge. "You will try to stop me? I am a labourer, I will walk it if I need to," he commented.
The BJP had on Sunday urged Bihar's Chief Electoral Officer Ajay Nayak to step in and help clear the way for the PM's rally. The party alleged that the Nitish Kumar government was forcing the administration to withhold permission.
The rival grand alliance of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav and the Congress had objected to the live telecast of the prime minister's speech while voting was on in other parts of Bihar.
"When the PM speaks, voters could be influenced in the areas that are polling," Lalu Prasad, the chief of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, said.
Last week, the Prime Minister addressed six rallies in two days.
KC Tyagi, a leader of the state's ruling Janata Dal United, said: "We told the Election Commission that the PM's public meeting is a violation of the model code of conduct."
The Election Commission, however, refused to stop the telecast.
"There is no ban on the live telecast of PM Narendra Modi's rally because he is holding rallies in constituencies where there is no voting," said a senior Bihar election officer, pointing out that the rules don't allow campaigning only in areas where voting is on.
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