Patna:
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will today hold his party's "Adhikar" rally in Patna to pressure the Centre into giving the state special economic status, a longstanding demand.
The rally will be a massive show of strength by the CM, who would like to show not only the opposition, but also partner BJP, that he remains a top draw.
Thousands of Janata Dal (United) supporters from across Bihar are expected to attend the rally. The party has booked seven special trains and more than 10,000 buses to bring them to Patna's Gandhi Maidan, the venue.
Nearly 10,000 police personnel are on duty in the Bihar capital. Mr Kumar, who has been overseeing preparations for the Patna event, said: "I am getting reports that people are enthusiastically coming to take part in the rally. The rally is for the rights of 10 crore people of Bihar. I urge everyone to take part in it."
Mr Kumar would like to make a big statement today. He will be acutely aware that also in Patna this afternoon is Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, partner BJP's star leader and a man that Mr Kumar has made no bones about his antipathy for. Mr Modi's visit is a private one - he will be in town to pay respects to veteran BJP leader Kailashpati Mishra, who died on Saturday.
Mr Modi is increasingly being talked about as the likely BJP candidate for prime minister in 2014, once he has delivered an expected big win in Gujarat in December this year. Mr Kumar's JD(U) is an important constituent of the National Democratic Alliance or NDA that the BJP leads, and he is clear Mr Modi as PM is not acceptable to him.
This has created considerable tension between the two allied parties. For one, Mr Kumar has repeatedly questioned Mr Modi's secular credentials, openly attacked him over the Gujarat riots and has not allowed Mr Modi to be part of the NDA's campaign plans in Bihar despite the BJP being a partner in government in the state. He has also said he will not be available to campaign in Narendra Modi's Gujarat, where the JD(U) will field about 50 candidates.
Mr Kumar too is said to harbour ambitions to ascend to the top post at the national level, and though he has vociferously and repeatedly denied this, his supporters have often and enthusiastically pushed his candidacy as the NDA's best bet in 2014.
The JD(U) leader is into his seventh consecutive year as chief minister. He has enjoyed both popularity and good reviews for his administrative skills in his term so far. But though surveys show he continues to be Bihar's favourite political leader, his impressive development track record has been somewhat dented by criticism and protests from several sections of people in the state lately. At several rallies, the chief minister has been greeted by protests, black flags and even slippers.
Mr Kumar has been pushing the Centre for special status for his state ever since he came to power in 2005. At today's rally he will make a renewed demand and the government has pulled out all stops to ensure it is a smooth affair.
State Industries minister Renu Kumari is supervising the kitchens set up to provide food to the people during today's rally.
"I have made food and lodging arrangements for about 15,000 people," she said.
JD(U) chief whip Shrawan Kumar said he had hired 60 cooks to prepare rice, dal, vegetables and salad for people attending the rally from his Nalanda constituency.
The rally will be a massive show of strength by the CM, who would like to show not only the opposition, but also partner BJP, that he remains a top draw.
Thousands of Janata Dal (United) supporters from across Bihar are expected to attend the rally. The party has booked seven special trains and more than 10,000 buses to bring them to Patna's Gandhi Maidan, the venue.
Nearly 10,000 police personnel are on duty in the Bihar capital. Mr Kumar, who has been overseeing preparations for the Patna event, said: "I am getting reports that people are enthusiastically coming to take part in the rally. The rally is for the rights of 10 crore people of Bihar. I urge everyone to take part in it."
Mr Kumar would like to make a big statement today. He will be acutely aware that also in Patna this afternoon is Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, partner BJP's star leader and a man that Mr Kumar has made no bones about his antipathy for. Mr Modi's visit is a private one - he will be in town to pay respects to veteran BJP leader Kailashpati Mishra, who died on Saturday.
Mr Modi is increasingly being talked about as the likely BJP candidate for prime minister in 2014, once he has delivered an expected big win in Gujarat in December this year. Mr Kumar's JD(U) is an important constituent of the National Democratic Alliance or NDA that the BJP leads, and he is clear Mr Modi as PM is not acceptable to him.
This has created considerable tension between the two allied parties. For one, Mr Kumar has repeatedly questioned Mr Modi's secular credentials, openly attacked him over the Gujarat riots and has not allowed Mr Modi to be part of the NDA's campaign plans in Bihar despite the BJP being a partner in government in the state. He has also said he will not be available to campaign in Narendra Modi's Gujarat, where the JD(U) will field about 50 candidates.
Mr Kumar too is said to harbour ambitions to ascend to the top post at the national level, and though he has vociferously and repeatedly denied this, his supporters have often and enthusiastically pushed his candidacy as the NDA's best bet in 2014.
The JD(U) leader is into his seventh consecutive year as chief minister. He has enjoyed both popularity and good reviews for his administrative skills in his term so far. But though surveys show he continues to be Bihar's favourite political leader, his impressive development track record has been somewhat dented by criticism and protests from several sections of people in the state lately. At several rallies, the chief minister has been greeted by protests, black flags and even slippers.
Mr Kumar has been pushing the Centre for special status for his state ever since he came to power in 2005. At today's rally he will make a renewed demand and the government has pulled out all stops to ensure it is a smooth affair.
State Industries minister Renu Kumari is supervising the kitchens set up to provide food to the people during today's rally.
"I have made food and lodging arrangements for about 15,000 people," she said.
JD(U) chief whip Shrawan Kumar said he had hired 60 cooks to prepare rice, dal, vegetables and salad for people attending the rally from his Nalanda constituency.
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