Patna: In the countdown to Bihar Assembly elections, a rath yatra blitzkrieg is taking centrestage in the state. Bharatiya Janata Party's hi-tech chariots and Janata Dal United's Jan Bhagidari Manch raths are already setting the mood for a high-voltage battle.
BJP leader Bhupendra Yadav said, "With the help of these 160 raths, we will able to communicate with all voters."
Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad hit out at the BJP saying, "Against their high-tech campaign, we will use tongas."
It was the ruling JDU which first flagged off 400 audio-visual vans calling them Jan Bhagidari Manch raths, to reach out to rural Bihar. BJP's answer is 243 hi-tech raths or modified pick-up vans, one van for each constituency. To counter the BJP, Lalu Prasad will be flagging off 1,000 horse-drawn tongas.
BJP's raths have big screen TVs with high quality sound system to show short films to voters. The first clip focuses on kidnappings, killings and misrule in the 15 year Lalu-Rabri regime. The second is a a 25-minute video of political sparring between alliance partners, Lalu and Nitish. The last showcases NDA's achievements and what's in store if they come to power in Bihar.
BJP President Amit Shah says, "In the whole NDA, if there are people related to Ram Vilas Paswan, or if they are related to Upendra Kushwaha, or even if it is pertaining to me, these raths will help in a better working strategy for NDA."
JDU's rath campaign focuses on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as the most credible face in Bihar politics and how he changed the state in the last eight years. As election fever gains momentum, it's increasingly becoming a do-or-die battle for all political players in Bihar.
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