Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his Sunday election tour in Bihar with a rally in Chapra, the political bastion of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav. Modi said that voting in the first phase of the Bihar assembly elections had indicated huge gains for the National Democratic Alliance.

“After the first phase voting, is it clear that Nitish Kumar is all set to form government again,” Modi said while addressing the crowd at the Airport ground in Chapra.

Modi said that the NDA government had ensured that kitchen fires kept burning in homes of poor even during the COVID pandemic.

In a dig at a recent video of Tejashwi Yadav, Modi said that opponents of the NDA are frustrated and have begun to vent ire by shoving their own supporters.

The constituency has been the political ‘karmabhoomi’ (place of work) of the jailed RJD president. Lalu Prasad had taken a plunge into electoral politics with a win from Chapra Lok Sabha seat in 1977 at an age of 29.

The seat is currently held by former union minister and BJP’s national spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

Speaking about the record voter turnout in phase 1, Modi said that political pundits had been proven wrong. Despite the COVID pandemic, 55.69% of people cast their ballots on October 28 during the first phase of the Bihar Assembly Elections.

From Chapra, Modi will go to Samastipur to address a public meeting in Housing Board ground, then at Gandhi maidan in Motihari and will end the campaign trip with a rally in Bagaha.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is expected to accompany Modi in the Samastipur and Bagaha meetings, PTI reported quoting JD(U) sources.

Campaigning for the second phase will end on Sunday evening. Polling for the second phase will be held on November 3.