Bihar Election 2020: The do-over preceded PM Modi's second round of rallies in Bihar. (File)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar share space in the latest campaign posters and ads of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar, which started voting today for a new government.
The posters have emerged after separate ads put out by the BJP and Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United were derided by the opposition as proof that all was not well between the NDA partners and that the BJP was trying to distance PM Modi from Nitish Kumar amid signs of anti-incumbency.
In the new ads splashed across newspapers this morning, on the first day of voting in Bihar, PM Modi and Nitish Kumar have equal billing. In one of the ads, however, Nitish Kumar has been photo-shopped in as the lone NDA face among BJP leaders, with the message saying: "BJP hai toh bharosa hai (where there is BJP, there is trust)". The ad lists central government schemes, promising the same for Bihar.
The do-over preceded PM Modi's second round of rallies in Bihar.
Earlier, BJP's giant banners and full-page ads featuring only PM Modi appeared to scream that the party had decided to detach itself from Nitish Kumar amid ground reports that people are angry with the state government over the lack of jobs and development and the rising desperation of the poorest after the coronavirus lockdown.
The BJP sees more benefit in making the Bihar campaign about its biggest star and election-winner, PM Modi.
But BJP leaders, questioned about the ads, pointed at JDU ads that appeared on the same day as PM Modi's joint rallies with Nitish Kumar, which had the Chief Minister's solo image.