Patna, Aug. 13: Chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad today went together to woo the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) community, which constitutes about 30 per cent of Bihar's 10.38 crore population.
Once considered to be a staunch supporter of Lalu, who during the peak of the Mandal politics had given the community a voice in the 1990s, the EBC had subsequently shifted loyalty to Nitish's JDU but the results of the 2014 general election showed that a good chunk of EBCs had voted in favour of the BJP-led NDA.
This had set the alarm bell ringing in the RJD-JDU camp and for the past year, efforts have been made to win back the support of this community, which plays a vital role in the elections.
Lalu and Nitish today made every effort to use the platform to give a message to the EBCs that they were their real saviours. Both of them urged EBC community members to stand united and vote for the RJD-JDU alliance as they were allegedly cheated by the BJP-led NDA after Lok Sabha election.
The two leaders also shared a light moment with an infant brought to the venue by his father, who hailed from the barber community.
"If you people are divided, then we are going to lose this election. Fascists forces are roaming across the state with an intention of divide and rule. Everyone is watching us - this election is not for Bihar but for the whole nation. The BJP is spreading canard about our friendship; do not listen to its leaders and stand united," said Lalu while addressing the packed SK Memorial Hall.
Lalu also used today's occasion to send the message among the ticket-seekers not to indulge in the unnecessary talks of getting ticket after sealing of grand alliance.
"There shall not be any fight over tickets; it is not important who will get the ticket, what matters now to be intact. Be united and attend Swambhiman Rally on August 30 in large numbers to show your strength," said Lalu.
Nitish, on the other hand, addressed the gathering on the same line urging the EBCs to stay as one block as they have already been cheated by the Narendra Modi government. The chief minister also tried to convince people that Lalu did a lot of good things for the EBCs in his style and he also did many things for the community according to his own style of functioning.
Nitish also justified that he never did any caste politics and it was the BJP eng aged in organising a series of caste-based events. "I have always tried to unite the backward community and made them united. It is the BJP, which organises caste-based events and organising it in large scale. The party is more interested in dividing people on caste and religion basis while I am always into development with justice politics," said Nitish.
He also slammed Modi over his DNA remark and urged all to send their hair and nail to the PMO.
