Chief minister Nitish Kumar addresses a meeting at Ragarpur in Siwan on Monday. Picture by Rakesh K Singh

Siwan, Oct. 10: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today played the peace card and reminded the residents “the days of terror” while campaigning for Kavita Singh, the JD(U) candidate for the Doranda bypoll.

“Siwan was once infamous for unabated terror, but not any longer. If you want to return to those dark days, I have nothing to say. But if you want peace and harmony, support me by electing Kavita,” Nitish told the people who had gathered to hear him ahead of the October 13 by-election.

The chief minister reminded the residents of Siwan that RJD chief Lalu Prasad “had patronised the culprits of Bhagalpur riots” and how he (Nitish) reopened the case. At present, the rioters are serving life in jail.

“Lalu had not done anything when he was in power. I struggled a lot to come to this position and the residents of Bihar had confidence in me. It is their credit that the image of Bihar is improving,” Nitish said.

“During the six years of the NDA’s tenure, the image makeover of the state has been appreciated across the country and abroad as well,” he added.

Nitish said he was committed to serving the people of the state and ensuring Bihar’s development. “They trusted me. I will do everything to serve them,” he said.

The chief minister said he would soon undertake a Sewa Yatra and spend four-to-five days in each district of the state. “The aim is to know the ground realities everywhere,” he added.

Taking a dig at his bade bhai (Lalu Prasad), Nitish said when people elected him for two decades, he did nothing and the state slipped into backwardness, casteism and anarchy. “Now he is resorting to tantra mantra (black magic) and trying to mislead people. But if tantra mantra could help, every big tantrik would have become the Prime Minister and the smaller ones chief ministers,” he added.

The CM said the era of oiling lathis has gone and “its time to fill the pen with ink”. He added, “Only education will lead the state towards development.”

Nitish stressed that he was lobbying for a special status for Bihar. “If the all-party committee constituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh does not come up with any concrete conclusion on the special status for the state, I will start a movement from Gandhi Maidan,” he added.