Nitish Kumar on Tuesday started the campaign for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar with scathing attack on his political foes Narendra Modi and Lalu Prasad.

Addressing a series of election meetings in Saran and East Champaran districts, he sought votes for the JD(U) candidates. He shared the glory of development in the state during his regime with the people and highlighted the failures of the erstwhile RJD government.

“The regime (read Lalu-Rabri) simply squandered the mandate of the people for 15 years by doing nothing. All of you know how Bihar was in a mess in those 15 years,” Nitish said, addressing a meeting at Bhagwanpur village in the Maharajganj Lok Sabha constituency spread over Saran and Siwan districts.

“Now he (read Lalu) says that Nitish is not a factor. If we are not a factor why is he calling our name in his election meetings? He simply enjoyed the mandate given by the people to serve them, ending up doing nothing,” Nitish said.

Training his guns on Narendra Modi without naming him at Patahi under Sheohar Lok Sabha constituency in East Champaran, Nitish said: “The man whom the BJP has projected as its prime ministerial candidate simply lacks the acceptability and confidence of the masses.”

Referring to his constant hard work for the cause of the state, Nitish repeated his emotional request to the voters at his meetings: “Maine khidmat ki hai, aman chain kayam kiya hai, vishwas ka mahol banaya hai aur rajya ko vikas ke raste par chala diya hai, Bihari kahlana ab garva ki baat hai, vishvas hai kaam ki majdoori mujhe milegi (I have served you. I have restored peace in the society and given you confidence. The state has moved on the fast track of development. I hope you will pay me the right wages for the work I have done).”

Referring to the development in the state, a humble Nitish said: “Whatever good has happened has happened because of the support and equal contribution of the people of the state.”

Nitish refrained from talking about the Naxalite issue at Patahi — a nerve centre of Maoist activities. The village has witnessed several encounters between the Maoists and police in the past one decade.

While Nitish appealed to the people to vote in favour of the JD(U) nominee from Maharajganj, Manoranjan Singh alias Dhumal, at Bhagwanpur, he appealed for the same in favour of Shahid Ali Khan, the party nominee from Sheohar, at Patahi.