‘They changed UPA name to INDIA because…’: In Bihar, Amit Shah slams Nitish-Lalu ‘oil-water' alliance

Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday hit out at the Opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance or INDIA and alleged that it changed its previous name United Progressive Alliance because it didn't want to go to the public with a name associated with rampant corruption.

Amit Shah also claimed Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's alliance is like oil and water and they can't remain together for long.

“They have made a new alliance with a new name. They worked with the name of UPA and did corruption worth ₹12 lakh crore. Lalu Yadav did corruption worth crores while he was the railway minister. They changed their name because they could not come back with the name UPA, hence they had to come up with INDI Alliance,” Shah said at a rally in Bihar's Jhanjharpur in the Madhubani district.

Alleging that the opposition alliance is selfish, the senior BJP leader said, “Lalu Yadav wants to make his son the chief minister. Nitish Kumar wants to be the prime minister. But it is not possible because the position of the prime minister is not vacant. Narendra Modi is going to take that position again. This alliance is taking Bihar back to Jungle Raj. Through appeasement, they are handing over Bihar to such elements that will not let Bihar be secure...”

Shah also raked up Bihar cabinet minister Chandra Shekhar's controversial remarks on Ramcharitmanas and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin's remarks on ‘Sanatana Dharma’.

"People of this alliance disrespect Ramcharitmanas... cancel holidays on Rakshandhan and Janmashtami. They relate Sanatana Dharma to a number of diseases. All they can do is appeasement..., The opposition alliance opposed construction of the Ram temple," Shah said.

The home minister claimed that the NDA will win all 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar in the 2024 elections and break the 2019 record.

"We won 39 seats in 2019, this time round we will break all records and win all 40 seats," he said.

Shah also alleged that the law and order condition in Bihar was deteriorating every day and the “opportunistic alliance” will worsen the situation.

“The law and order situation in Bihar is deteriorating every day and the presence of the Mahagathbandhan will worsen the situation furthermore in the coming days,” Shah said.

“If Modiji does not become the PM again, the entire ‘Seemanchal’ region will be full of 'ghuspaithiyas' (intruders),” Shah said at the rally.

Shah also said it was because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the African Union was included in the G20.