Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Opposition INDIA bloc on Sunday, accusing it of trying to divide the country.

“The INDI alliance talks about another partition of India. Congress party leaders are openly making statements that they will separate South India,” Modi said while addressing a public rally in Bihar’s Nawada.

In his second election meeting in Bihar since the announcement of the poll schedule, Modi said, “The manifesto released by Congress also has the influence of the ideas of Muslim League. Congress has released not a ‘manifesto’ but an ‘appeasement letter’.”

Earlier on April 4, the prime minister launched the Lok Sabha election campaign of the NDA in Bihar through a rally in the Jamui constituency.

Polling will be held in Nawada, Gaya, Aurangabad, and Jamui Lok Sabha constituencies in the first phase on April 19.

Addressing a public rally in Bihar’s Nawada, the prime minister urged the people not to forget that the INDIA leaders declined the invitation to the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22, this year.

“Modi had guaranteed that a grand temple of Ram Lalla will be built in Ayodhya and today the peak of the grand Ram temple touches the sky. The Congress and the RJD made every effort to prevent the Ram Temple from seeing the light of day. The temple is a reality today. They declined the invitation to the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of the Ram temple. Some leaders from the Congress did attend the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of the Ram temple, defying the party line, but ended up being expelled for 6 years. As the Navaratri draws near, do remember how they (Opposition leaders) sinned by spurning the Ram Temple invite,” PM Modi added.

Taking a potshot at the Opposition, he said his guarantees to the people were giving a lot of heartburn to members of the INDIA bloc. “The guarantees of Modi are troubling INDI alliance members; they don’t like them. A very big leader of the INDI alliance said, ‘Modi, your guarantees should be banned’. Are they scared of Modi’s guarantees? If I tell my countrymen that I will work 24 hours, is it a crime?…Modi gives a guarantee and works hard to fulfil it. I had also given the guarantee that Article 370 would be removed (from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir). What was the result? Was Article 370 removed or not,” Modi asked.

“Modi gives guarantees because his intentions are pure and he works hard to fulfil them. However, leaders in the INDI alliance won’t understand this. They are known to spout lies for votes,” he said.

The prime minister said the government at the Centre is taking bold steps for the country. “I am here to eradicate poverty from the country. I cannot forget the situation of the country before 2014. Most of the countrymen were compelled to live in kutcha houses or were homeless. There was no gas connection available for the poor. Middlemen used to benefit from the ration provided to the poor…I have survived poverty. This son of a poor is ‘sevak’ of the poor,” the PM said, adding, “What we have achieved in 10 years could not be done in 60 years after Independence.”

PM Modi, in his second election meeting in the state since the announcement of the poll schedule, said that his government aims to make 3 crore ‘lakhpati didis’ in the villages of the state in its third term.

Further, the PM said in the last 10 years, the people of Bihar have seen many big decisions taken in the interest of the country.

“…I said this from the ramparts of Red Fort that this is the right time. India’s time has come. We should not lose this opportunity and hence this election of 2024 has become very important…In the last 10 years, the people of Bihar have seen many big decisions taken in the interest of the country. Today in India and in Bihar, modern infrastructure has been built. Today, modern expressways are being built in Bihar, railway stations are being modernized, trains like Vande Bharat are increasing,” the PM said.

Hailing the land of Nawada, Modi said this great land of Magadha has the bravery of Chandragupta Maurya, the intellectual capacity of Acharya Chanakya and it has the ability to give direction to the country.”This area is also the birthplace of Bihar Kesari Krishna Babu, the first CM of Bihar. Nawada is also the workplace of Loknayak Shri Jaiprakash Narayan. I respectfully bow to all these great personalities…” the PM added.

Sharing the dais with the prime minister, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar said development is taking place in the state at a fast pace.

“Development is happening at a fast pace in Bihar. What was the condition of Bihar before 2005? You could not step out of your house after the evening. Today you can move around freely…Husband and wife (Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi) ruled for 15 years but no work was done,” he said.