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    EYE ON INDIA                                                        OCTOBER 24, 2025  |      The Indian Eye                     6

                       NDA Sounds Confident in Bihar as

             BJP, Allies Project Unity and Momentum

             With top leaders hitting the campaign trail and invoking both development and symbolism,

                 the ruling alliance signals that it enters the Bihar battle with confidence and cohesion.

                                                                                                                  alliances of the Mahagathbandhan.
            OUR BUREAU
                                                                                                                      The  confident  tone  wasn’t  lim-
            Patna (Bihar)                                                                                         ited to the BJP’s central leadership.
                                                                                                                  Senior leaders from other states have
                  s Bihar moves into election                                                                     joined the Bihar campaign, amplify-
                  mode, the National Demo-
            Acratic Alliance (NDA) has                                                                            ing the narrative of momentum. Ma-
                                                                                                                  harashtra Chief Minister Devendra
            rolled out an assertive campaign                                                                      Fadnavis, campaigning in Begusarai,
            strategy anchored in unity, continuity,                                                               told ANI that the mood across the
            and the leadership of Prime Minister                                                                  state was clearly pro-NDA.
            Narendra Modi and Chief Minister                                                                          The cross-state participation of
            Nitish Kumar. From Union Home                                                                         senior leaders like Shah, Fadnavis,
            Minister Amit Shah’s rally in Saran                                                                   and Maurya highlights the BJP’s or-
            to Maharashtra Chief Minister De-                                                                     ganisational depth and confidence in
            vendra Fadnavis’ outreach in Begusa-                                                                  using its national machinery to boost
            rai, and statements from other senior                                                                 local  campaigns.  It  also  reflects  the
            BJP and JD(U) leaders, the message                                                                    party’s belief that Modi’s popularity
            is clear: the NDA believes it has the                                                                 remains the decisive factor in Bihar’s
            wind in its sails ahead of the Novem-                                                                 political landscape.
            ber polls.
                Polling for the Bihar Assem-
            bly elections will take place in two                                                                   A CONFIDENT, COORDINATED
            phases on November 6 and 11, with   Union Home Minister Amit Shah meets Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his residence, in   CAMPAIGN
            results on November 14. The NDA                        Patna on Friday (ANI Video Grab)
            has  already  finalised  its  seat-shar-                                                                    nalysts note that the NDA’s
            ing formula — BJP and JD(U) will                                                                            early and synchronised cam-
            contest 101 seats each, while allies   “Nitish Kumar has freed Bihar from   alliance. Shah reiterated that the al- Apaign rollout, combined with
            like Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshak-  jungle raj. PM Modi, over the last 11   liance is contesting under Nitish Ku-  clear messaging around Nitish’s
            ti Party (Ram Vilas) will fight on 29   years, has worked to develop Bihar.   mar’s leadership, an assertion aimed   leadership and Modi’s development
            seats, and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hin-  His years have been a blessing to the   at quelling speculation about tensions   record, suggests a coalition working
            dustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and   poor.”                          between BJP and JD(U) after past   from a position of confidence rather
            Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok      Shah also used festive symbolism   breakups.                    than defensiveness. The BJP’s strat-
            Morcha (RLM) have been allotted   to energise the electorate, claiming   “We are fighting under the leader-  egy appears to be to frame the elec-
            six each.                         that Bihar will celebrate “four Di-  ship of Nitish Kumar in Bihar,” Shah   tion as a contest between stability and
                                              walis” — one marking Lord Ram’s   declared, signalling a calibrated ef-  chaos, invoking the “jungle raj” met-
              ‘FOUR DIWALIS FOR BIHAR’        return to Ayodhya, another for Ni-  fort to consolidate the NDA’s support   aphor to remind voters of the 1990s
                                              tish and Modi’s welfare schemes, a   base across caste and regional lines.  while showcasing welfare and infra-
                  ddressing a large rally in Sa-  third for the GST reduction on 395   Reinforcing this message, JD(U)   structure achievements.
                  ran’s Taraiya, Union Home   products, and a fourth when the   national president and Union Minis-   With the Mahagathbandhan still
            AMinister Amit Shah formally      NDA wins “with the biggest major-  ter Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh)   struggling to project a united face,
            launched the BJP’s campaign, strik-  ity, sweeping away Lalu, Rahul and   reiterated that the opposition’s nar-  the NDA’s optics of coordination —
            ing both emotional and political   company.”                        rative about division within the NDA   visible in its joint rallies, coherent
            notes. By invoking the end of “La-    By blending Hindutva symbol-  was misplaced.                    communication, and balanced seat
            lu-Rabri’s jungle raj” and crediting   ism with welfare economics, Shah   “There is no Mahagathbandhan   distribution — have given it a head
            Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi    underscored the BJP’s dual cam-   but only ‘Thugbandhan’ — a gang of   start. By setting the tone early, the al-
            for transforming Bihar, Shah sought   paign plank — cultural consolidation   cheats,” he said, accusing the Oppo-  liance aims to dominate the narrative
            to remind voters of the coalition’s   and developmental delivery — both   sition of trying to malign the NDA’s   over the next few weeks and convert
            development narrative while rallying   of which have been central to its elec-  image. “Amit Shah has said clearly   its messaging advantage into elector-
            the youth around law and order and   toral strategy nationwide.     we are contesting under Nitish Ku-  al momentum.
            governance.                                                         mar’s leadership. The voters know     As Amit Shah said in Saran,
                “When you start campaigning     NDA PROJECTS CONFIDENCE         the truth.”                       “When you start from here, we
            from Saran, we only see victory.            AND UNITY                   The NDA’s messaging machinery   only see victory.” That sentiment —
            There is no better place than Ch-                                   has also sought to emphasise the sta-  echoed by leaders across the NDA —
            hapra to remind the youth about the     he NDA campaign is being    bility of the Modi–Nitish partnership,   captures the coalition’s mood: confi-
            jungle raj of Lalu and Rabri and take   carefully orchestrated to dis-  contrasting it with what it portrays   dent, cohesive, and ready to claim
            a pledge to fight against it,” Shah said.  Tplay unity within its diverse   as the opportunistic and fractious   Bihar once more.

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