"Everyone Is Free To Come Here": Nitish Kumar On Amit Shah's Bihar Visit

Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Lakhisarai on Thursday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said everybody is free to visit the state.

Mr Shah's visit to the state later during the day will be the first by any top BJP leader after the June 23 meeting in Patna of opposition parties which was held to discuss and chart out a path ahead of the 2024 general election.

Mr Kumar, who was speaking to reporters in Patna, however, evaded questions on the Modi government's strong pitch for the Uniform Civil Code.

"Everyone is free to come here. Everyone has the right to visit Bihar," the chief minister said to questions on Shah's proposed visit to Lakhisarai later in the day.

Asked for his comment on the Opposition parties' meeting here, which was hosted by him, Mr Kumar said, "The meeting is over ... We will speak later on this".

Mr Shah is slated to arrive at the Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport here this afternoon and leave for Lakhisarai in Munger district, about 150 km away, in a helicopter. He will address a mega rally at Lakhisarai. He will be received by senior BJP leaders, including the state party president Samrat Choudhary and union ministers from Bihar.

Mr Shah will also offer prayers at Ashok Dham, a famous shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, before addressing a public meeting there.

Mr Shah had last visited the state nearly three months ago.

Meanwhile, ahead of his visit to Lakhisarai, supporters of the ruling Mahagathbandhan parties and the opposition BJP have put up posters near the airport and at several locations in Patna. Those put up by supporters of the Grand Alliance government criticised the BJP leadership for violence in Manipur and misuse of central agencies - the CBI, ED and the Income Tax department.

Some of the posters put up by the ruling alliance questioned the alleged silence of BJP leaders in the matter of wrestlers protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

On the other hand, BJP supporters have put up posters slamming the opposition unity against it.

Reacting to the poster war, spokesperson Neeraj Kumar of the ruling JD (U), told PTI "The party has nothing to do with these posters. The concept and ideas for them were created by party workers and they have put posters in the city".

There is nothing wrong with the messages in the posters, he said and sought to know what had happened to the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his NDA government to the people.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)