Patna (Bihar) [India], March 31 : Following the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting held at the residence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, minister and son of Jitan Ram Manjhi, Santosh Kumar Suman, stated that Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized the need for the NDA to fight the upcoming Bihar elections unitedly.
Santosh Kumar Suman said, "CM Nitish Kumar is the face of the government and the top leaders of the NDA have also said that we will fight the elections under his leadership. It is natural that if we fight the elections under his leadership and we get a majority, he will become the CM. Union Home Minister came to Bihar and all the top leaders of Bihar NDA held a meeting under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar."
He further said that the visit by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah was a courtesy call.
"There was a discussion on the development of Bihar, strengthening the organization and the unity of the NDA. The Home Minister had only one mantra, that we all should fight together as NDA. All workers should work as NDA workers. There was a discussion on how to win the maximum number of seats," he further added.
Earlier, CM Nitish Kumar admitted that joining the Mahagathbandhan (INDIA bloc) twice was a mistake and assured that it would never happen again.
The Bihar CM also credited former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his political rise and reaffirmed his commitment to the NDA, highlighting the state government's efforts in development and women's empowerment.
Speaking at a public event in Patna, Kumar said, "We made a mistake by going there (Mahagathbandhan) twice. Now we have decided that this will never happen again. This is wrong. Who made me the Chief Minister? Atal Bihari Vajpayee made me the Chief Minister. How can we forget?"
He said that in Panchayat Raj in 2006 and civic bodies in 2007, the state government started the polls, and in that, they worked for women's empowerment.
"Four elections have been over, and in many places, the representation of women is more than 50 percent. Earlier, nothing was done for women. We took a loan from World Bank and expanded the Self Help Group and named it as Jeevika. We have decided that in urban areas, Jeevika would be introduced. We are working for all sections of the society," he said.
Kumar also acknowledged the central government's role in Bihar's development.
"In the budget, special financial assistance has been given to Bihar in the sector of infrastructure, industry, flood control, health, and tourism and in 2025, the establishment of Makhana Board and the development of airports have been announced. Two big projects, the Kosi river project and Patna-Ara-Sasaram four lane corridor project have been approved," he said."
Before 2005, no one used to go out of their houses after evening, and there used to be communal violence. No work on education was done. There were no proper health facilities," he said.
Union Home Amit Shah attended the inauguration and foundation stone laying of various schemes of the central government and state government of the corporation department in Patna.