Bihar: Shah prepares ground for LS polls '24 as BJP has new slogan

PURNIA (Bihar): Union Home Minister Amit Shah is on a two-day visit to Bihar on Friday to prepare the party to become a formidable force ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to counter the Mahagathbandhan government in the state.

To give further impetus to the party, the Bihar unit of the BJP has come up with a new slogan urging people to support the party for the development of the state.

The party has introduced the slogan "Aao chale Bhajpa ke sath, Kare Bihar ka Vikash" (let's support BJP for the development of Bihar).

Shah's first trip to the state comes after chief minister Nitish Kumar parted ways with the BJP and joined hands with RJD, Congress and others to form a grand alliance government.

Amit Shah will address 'Jan Bhavna Mahasabha' in the Seemanchal area for the first time in Bihar.

Seemanchal area includes Katihar, Araria and Kishanganj districts.

The visit of Shah to Bihar reflects BJP's strategy to win maximum seats in 2024 Lok Sabha and 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.

Amit Shah will address a gathering 'Jan Bhavna Mahasabha' at around 12 noon on Friday at Rangbhoomi Ground in Purnia.

The BJP is in high gear ahead of Shah's visit to Seemanchal (bordering) districts of Bihar Purnia and Kishanganj districts.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal and Janata Dal (United) already started questioning BJP for planning a 'Jan Bhavna Mahasabha in the Seemanchal region.

Whether it is RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav or Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, all are alleging that the BJP has chosen the Seemanchal area so that Amit Shah can do religious polarization.

Addressing media persona in Patna, Tejashwi Yadav said, "If Amit Shah is coming, then I want to ask.... whether the centre will give special status to Bihar or not? What is the motive for his visit? He will speak against Muslims and incite Hindus. When he comes he will say there is Jungle Raj."

Meanwhile, responding to Yadav, BJP state president Sanjay Jaiswal said that JD(U) leader (Rajya Sabha) and former Finance Commission chairman NK Singh has said that special status is not possible in today's situation.

While exuding confidence that BJP will form government in the state in 2025, Jaiswal said, "For decades no BJP leader has become the Chief Minister of Bihar, but in 2025, the party will form the government in the state and there will be Chief Minister of BJP in Bihar."

Shah will later hold a meeting with MPs, MLAs and former ministers of Bihar BJP around 4 pm at Mata Gujri University in Kishanganj city.

The Minister will be chairing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State Core Committee meeting around 5 pm at Mata Gujri University.

On Day 2 of his visit to the state, the Minister will offer prayers at Budhi Kali Mata Temple around 9.30 am at Subhashpally Chowk in Kishanganj.

The Home Minister will visit Border outpost Fatehpur and inaugurate BOP buildings of Fatehpur, Pekatola, Beria, Amgachi and Raniganj around 10.30 am at Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Campus.

The Minister will later review the meeting on border security with Director Generals and senior officers of Border Security Force (BSF), SSB and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) at 12 noon at BSF Campus, Kishanganj.

The Home Minister will attend the 'Sundar Subhumi' program organized on the occasion of the ongoing 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebrations at 3.30 pm at Mata Gujri University.

Shah will blow the poll bugle in the state for the party gunning for big wins at the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Union Minister and party's firebrand MP from Begusarai, Giriraj Singh has been made in charge of the rally to be attended by Shah in the Seemanchal (bordering) districts of Bihar's Purnia and Kishanganj districts.

To prepare for Shah's rally, several State BJP leaders have been camping in the bordering Purnia and Kishanganj districts for several days and meeting with local people and leaders to make the rallies successful.

The Seemanchal area of north Bihar consists of four districts -- Purnia, Kishanganj, Katihar and Araria -- where the Muslim population is in sizeable number to influence the success of a political party's candidate in both Assembly and General elections.

The four districts share their border with West Bengal and Bangladesh, from where a large number of immigrants have infiltrated and settled to change the demography there, BJP leaders claimed.

The four districts represent 24 Assembly seats and four Parliamentary seats.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, BJP won just one seat of Araria, while JD(U) had victories in two seats of Purnia and Katihar and the Kishanganj seat went to the Congress party.

In 2019, both BJP and JD(U) fought elections together as allies. However, political experts said that the political trend of the Seemanchal area "influences the electoral course of other adjoining districts like Supaul, Bhagalpur, Madhubani and Darbhanga as well".

There are 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar out of which 17 are presently held by the BJP while JD(U) has 16 seats.

Further, Lok Janshakti Party has six seats and Congress has one seat.