Nitish Kumar being welcomed at Bettiah during his Sampark Yatra on Thursday. Picture by Ajit Kumar Verma

Nitish Kumar on Thursday used Narendra Modi’s poll promises vis-a-vis black money, unemployment and Bihar’s development into weapons with which he launched a frontal attack on the Prime Minister.

The former chief minister began his Sampark Yatra (contact march) from Bettiah — headquarters of north Bihar’s West Champran district and Mahatma Gandhi karmabhoomi — addressing only JDU cadres. Around 5,000 cadres had been drawn from 2,067 polling booths and 315 village panchayats spread across the district on the India-Nepal border.

Nitish first got a party cadres to play Modi’s election speech where he had said: “Chor aur lutero ka kaala dhan jo videshi bankon mein jama hai use meri sarkar banne ke sau din ke andar wapas laungaa. Ek ek garib parivar ke khate mein 15 se 20 lakh rupaye jama ho jaeingein (I will bring back the money deposited by thieves in foreign banks within 100 days of forming my government. Each poor family will then get at least Rs 15 to 20 lakh in their account.”

Nitish then asked his cadres: “I am sure you remember whose voice it is.” The crowd replied in chorus: “Modi bol raha hai (Modi is speaking).” Nitish then told them: “Now go out and ask the BJP leaders and Prime Minister Modi if he was going to pay the promised Rs 15 to 20 lakh to each of you through cheques or direct cash transfer. You ask them to deposit the amount into your accounts, opened through Jan Dhan Yojana, as he has already ruled for over 100 days”.

Earlier, cadres lamented how they had been “neglected” during eight years of Nitish’s rule, their “illtreatment” by bureaucrats and corruption in implementation of Indira Awaas Yojana, MGNREGA and other schemes. Nitish admitted he had not paid them much attention but promised: “Grassroots workers will be involved at every level in implementing schemes when the party gets a chance to govern the state again, after the 2015 elections”.

The JDU cadres were mostly from Extremely Backward Classes, Mahadalits and minorities from remote hinterlands of Nautan, Gaunaha, Madhubani, Bagaha and Balmikinagar blocks. Nitish had worked for almost a month with local representatives in Patna to ensure the dedicated grassroots workers attend his meets.

Taking potshots at the BJP leaders who were questioning his alliance with Lalu Prasad’s RJD, Nitish said: “Narendra Modi described the NCP as the nationalist corrupt party all through his campaign in Maharashtra. But yesterday, the BJP government got the NCP to support it. Still, they had to prove majority through voice vote, making a farce of democracy. What moral right does the BJP have to question our alliances?”

Nitish also got another of Modi’s speeches played where he is heard saying: “I will ensure special packages, special status and special attention to Bihar. I will do everything needed to develop Bihar.” The former CM then broke into a smile. “I was looking only for special status to Bihar. He (Modi) promised so many things.” Turning acerbic, he said: “He (Modi) harvests lies to occupy the chair and stay afloat. We use the chair to serve people.”

Many cadres talked about challenges before the JDU from the BJP. Nitish said: “I know these people (Modi’s men) have spread poison to divide people on communal lines. Poison spreads fast. We have to administer medicine to cure society. The medicine works slowly, but cures eventually. Stay focused and maintain communal amity.”

With Nitish were state party chief Bashishtha Narayan Singh and PHED minister Mahachander Singh in his capacity as local MLC. Nitish kept Patna-based “hangers on” and officials at bay, to convey that he was accessible to cadres.