Modi in Bihar today: PM's seventh visit to state this year, first since row over 'insult to mother'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar's Purnea on Monday. (File Photo)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit poll-bound Bihar on Monday, ending his whirlwind tour of five states in three days. During his visit, the Prime Minister will launch projects worth Rs 36,000 crore for the state, including the newly developed airport terminal in north Bihar's Purnea.

The PM is also scheduled to inaugurate include the National Makhana Board that the government announced during the Union Budget this year. He will lay the foundation stone of a 3x800 MW thermal power project at Pirpainti, Bhagalpur, Bihar's largest private sector investment worth Rs 25,000 crore.

He will also lay the foundation stone of Phase 1 of the Kosi-Mechi Intra-State River Link Project worth over Rs 2680 crore.

Besides his message of development, the Prime Minister's visit also assumes significance since it is his first since the controversy over the alleged use of abusive language against him and his mother broke out. While the PM directly addressed the issue at a programme he addressed last month virtually, it will be interesting to see whether he touches upon the issue again.

The Congress and RJD were left red-faced last month when abusive language was allegedly used against the PM and his mother from a stage set up by an Opposition leader in Bihar's Darbhanga district during Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and RJD MLA Tejashwi Yadav's 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in the state. A Congress supporter was arrested in the matter.

Addressing the issue during his virtual address after the launch of 'Bihar Rajya Jeevika Nidhi Saakh Sahkari Sangh Limited' on September 2, the Prime Minister said that abusive language directed at his late mother from an Opposition stage in Bihar was an insult to all mothers and daughters of the state.

The issue refused to die down as the Congress countered the PM's emotional pitch, terming it as "drama" and stoked another controversy as its Bihar unit released an AI video featuring the Prime Minister and his late mother.

The BJP has been up in arms over the twin developments and also demanded an apology from the Congress. The Delhi Police on Saturday registered an FIR on a BJP worker's complaint over the AI-generated "deepfake" video posted by the Bihar Congress unit on its X handle to "malign the Prime Minister's image, grossly violating law, morality and women's dignity".

As per the schedule shared by the Bihar BJP, the Prime Minister is expected to participate in a slew of public engagements in Purnea on Monday, beginning 2.30 PM. His last visit to Bihar was on August 22 in Gaya. He has previously visited Motihari, Bhagalpur, Madhubani, Rohtas, and Siwan this year.

The Prime Minister's visit comes ahead of the Bighar elections scheduled to held in October-November this year. The election dates are expected to be announced soon after the publication of the final electoral roll on September 30.