Bihar election results a victory of democracy, says PM Modi

THe Bharatiya Janata company (BJP) led subject popular confederation’s (NDA) stunning win in Bihar is the triumph of democracy and true social justice, marking the end of Jungle Raj, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday, adding that the landslide victory will pave the way for a similar triumph in West Bengal next year.Amid celebrations at the party headquarters following the NDA’s triumph, the PM asserted that the NDA replaced “tustikaran” (appeasement) with “santushtikaran” (satisfaction) and said the mandate showed that the people had rejected the negative politics of the Congress.“Jungle Raj will never come back now… The people of Bihar have voted for a developed and prosperous Bihar,” he said, asserting that the unprecedented victory has increased his responsibility towards the people of the state, who played a key role in the development of the country but were not given their due by political parties that followed appeasement politics.“It is not just a win of the NDA, it is a victory of democracy as well. It is a win for those who have faith in Indian democracy and this election has also strengthened the faith that people of this country have on the Election Commission,” the PM added.Also Read | Women, welfare, infrastructure: NDA’s election formula in BiharModi also praised chief minister Nitish Kumar for his leadership and the leaders of the other NDA allies. “I congratulate all NDA leaders for their outstanding work and chief minister Nitish Kumar for his leadership. Jitan Ram Manjhi, Upendra Kushwaha, and Chirag Paswan have shown remarkable leadership qualities. You all have made this victory possible.”Wearing a Madhubani stole and briefly brandishing a gamcha or towel, Modi said some parties still relied on what he called the “old MY formula” -- a reference to the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Muslim and Yadav vote base -- but argued that a new electoral equation had now emerged. “The new MY formula is Mahila and Youth,” he said.Also Read | INDIA bloc should explain failure to stop NDA in Bihar: OwaisiModi asserted that the NDA government will push ahead with more jobs and investments for Bihar, and added that the victory in Bihar will pave the way for the downfall of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal.“The Ganga flows from Bihar to West Bengal. And the river has already paved the way for BJP’s victory in Bengal. I assure the people in Bengal that the BJP will now work with you to end the Jungle Raj in Bengal,” he said. The TMC will vie for a fourth straight term in elections scheduled for the middle of next year.Modi also attacked the Congress leadership and predicted a split in the opposition party.“Today, the Congress has become MMC – Muslim League Maoist Congress -- and the entire agenda of the Congress now revolves around this...therefore, within the Congress as well, a separate faction is emerging that is uncomfortable with this negative politics. I think that there could be another major split in the Congress,” he said.In his over an hour-long speech, Modi credited the Election Commission of India (ECI) for ensuring the people’s participation in the polling process and attributed the record vote turnout to the improved law and order in the state.“Everybody knows what happened in Bihar during the Jungle Raj and how booth capturing used to happen out in the open. Today the same Bihar is voting in record numbers and in a peaceful process …everyone’s vote has been accounted for and everyone has voted as per their preference. The numbers of repolling incidents itself speak for itself. Earlier there was no election when a repoll wouldn’t happen.In 1995 and 2000 it had to be conducted in over 1500 polling booths… but as soon as Jungle Raj was over, the situation on the ground improved. This time there was no incident of repolling in this two phase election,” he said.Also Read | Jan Suraaj earned a lot of limelight, not enough votesBihar saw a record turnout of 67.13% in these elections, a consequence largely of the SIR’s deletion of around 4.7 million names from the electoral rolls.The poll outcome, the PM said, is the mandate for the development agenda and a resounding response to the Jungle Raj or lawlessness of the RJD.Taking potshots at the Opposition for following the policy of appeasement, Modi said the NDA replaced “tushtikaran” with “santushtikaran”.“Appeasement is a sin and it has been replaced by development for all… The politics of appeasement has been defeated and people have ensured that there is no return of Jungle Raj in Bihar. This victory is for the women of Bihar, who for years suffered during the RJD rule and witnessed the terror of Jungle Raj. It is of the young people whose future was married by the terror of the red flag bearers. The red corridor and the terror have become history.” he said.“This (win) is also Bihar’s reply to those who were against development and shamelessly said that Bihar does not want to expressway on highway or industry and who used to say why does Bihar need trains and airport. This result today is the mandate for development politics,” he said.Accusing the Congress and the RJD of creating “a false impression” about Bihar and giving it a bad name, the PM said these parties did not respect the glorious historic past or the people of Bihar. “ Those people who called Chhat Puja a drama, they have not apologised to Chatti Maiya (goddess) and the people of Bihar will never forgive this,” he said.The PM also said that the NDA government bucking anti-incumbency in a bunch of states such as Bihar, Maharashtra and Haryana showed the people’s vote for pro-governance, pro-development politics.“The party that ruled the country for decades is losing the trust of people in many states. It has been out of power for years, in Bihar for 35 years, in Gujarat for 30 years, in UP also for nearly four decades and in Bengal for 50 years. The Congress has not been able to return to power. In the last three Lok Sabha polls, the Congress has not been able to reach three digits…After the 2024 LS polls, elections were held in six states and the Congress could not cross the mark of a hundred seats. The Congress does not even have as many legislators (from these six states) as we won today,” he said.