From Samastipur to Chhapra: PM Modi to spearhead NDA's campaign in Bihar, 12 rallies planned

Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will spearhead NDA's campaign blitz ahead of the Bihar elections and start his rallies from Samastipur on Friday, October 24. The prime minister will address a dozen events – large and small public meetings – in the poll-bound state from October 24.

PM Modi will begin his poll campaign from Samastipur, the birthplace of socialist icon and former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur, who was conferred the Bharat Ratna last year by the NDA government. He will address another rally in Begusarai the same day.

The PM is scheduled to visit the state again on October 30 and November 2 and 3, before the first phase of polls on November 6.

On October 30, PM Modi will be addressing rallies in Muzaffarpur and Chhapra, the town where Saran district is headquartered.

“The PM is also scheduled to visit the state on November 2, 3, 6 and 7. Details of these rallies will be shared in the due course,” state BJP president Dilip Jaiswal said, without disclosing their locations.

People familiar with the matter said the locations had been identified and sent to the PMO, but a final clearance was awaited even as the PM’s slot had been sealed, according to a report by the Hindustan Times.

PM Modi will make six visits to the poll-bound state between October 24 and November 7 for campaigning. The Prime Minister's events will likely cover significant regions including Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Bhagalpur, East and West Champaran, Saharsa, and Araria, as per the BJP leaders.

Union home minister Amit Shah is also expected to address around 25 public rallies. Almost the same number of rallies will be done by defence minister Rajnath Singh, Union minister Nitin Gadkari and other top leaders. A road map for this has been prepared, Dilip Jaiswal said, according to an ANI report.

The two-phase polls are scheduled to be held on November 6 and 11. The results will be announced on 14 November.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is contesting 101 of the 243 seats as part of seat-sharing formula withing the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has announced all the names. The Janata Dal (United), the senior NDA ally in Bihar, is also contesting on 101 seats.