This election will decide Bihar's fate: Modi

Patna, Oct 27: A day before the third phase of polling, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the ongoing election will decide Bihar's future.

Addressing an election rally in Sitamarhi district, Modi called upon the electorate to vote after careful thinking.

"You have to decide who to trust for your future. If there is anything that can change your future, it is development," he said.

"On the one hand there is development, and on the other there is opportunism," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said, referring to his opponents.

Modi said the solution for all problems in Bihar was not Modi but development. He reiterated that India will develop only if Bihar develops.

"It is not about winning or losing, it is about defining Bihar's future," Modi said, underlining the need to provide electricity, water, roads, education, jobs and healthcare in the state.

"I had promised to give a package of Rs.50,000 crore (to Bihar). After taking power, we gave Rs.1.65 lakh crore.

"We want to provide electricity to each house in Bihar. We have already decided to give Rs.250-300 crore to each district."

He accused his rivals, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, of making baseless allegations against the BJP-led alliance.

He attacked Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad saying Bihar can't be taken back to the 18th century.

"Can mantra or tantra help political parties escape their misdeeds?" Modi asked, in an obvious reference to Nitish Kumar's meeting with a tantrik.

The five-phase Bihar election began on October 12 and will end on November 5. The counting of votes will take place on November 8.

IANS