General
Kumar Anshuman
Patna: The impact of Cyclone Montha has thrown Bihar’s high-octane election campaign off schedule, bringing heavy rain, low visibility, and grounded helicopters across the state. Just after Chhath Puja, when political rallies were expected to peak, bad weather has forced leaders to rethink their campaign routes.
On Friday, only two helicopters managed to take off from Patna-one carrying BJP leader Manoj Tiwari to Khagaria, and another ferrying Tej Pratap Yadav to Simri Bakhtiyarpur. Most other top leaders from both the NDA and the opposition alliance had to cancel their travel plans.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, undeterred by the weather, switched to road travel on Friday, holding a day-long roadshow from Samastipur to Laukaha in Madhubani, covering a dozen constituencies. He continued his road campaign on Saturday as well.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, scheduled to address three rallies in Gopalganj, Samastipur, and Vaishali, was grounded in Patna awaiting weather clearance before opting to address the gatherings virtually.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, meanwhile, had to cancel all ten rallies planned for Friday and many of Saturday as his helicopter remained grounded for the second day. He managed to connect with some audiences over phone calls before stepping out later in the day when the weather improved.
The JDU took a swipe at Yadav on social media, saying, “This is the difference between a true public servant and an accidental politician. While Nitish Kumar goes among the people even in bad weather, the prince delivers speeches over the phone while sitting at home.”