Bihar poll updates: Rahul Gandhi promises ‘Naya Bihar’ ahead of phase 3 polling

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav said on Thursday that they have been saying for a long time that Nitish Kumar was not able to manage Bihar.

On the other hand Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi said that no one can take his place if he retires.

"If Nitish Kumar meant that he's retiring, then it's not good for the party or Bihar. Bihar needs Nitish Kumar. There is no one to take his place," Manjhi said, reports ANI.

Ahead of the last phase of assembly elections in Bihar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi promised on Thursday that a grand-alliance government will create "Naya Bihar" by bringing in industry, ensuring employment, waiving farm loans, reducing electricity tariff by half, and providing free education and justice to girls, reports PTI.

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Chirag Paswan on Thursday reacted to Nitish Kumar's statement that Bihar election 2020 is his last election, and urged the voters not to vote for those who will not come to ask for blessings again.

"Saheb has said that this is his last election. This time, he has not given the account of the last five years and has already said he will not come to the account next time. Do not waste your rights to those who will not come to ask for your blessings again tomorrow. Neither sir will remain nor JDU. Then who will we account for?" Paswan tweeted.

Addressing the delegates and two international bodies, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora on Thursday stated that while conducting Bihar Assembly polls, the Election Commission of India (ECI) had to add a major facet called "safe election", reports ANI.

Campaigning for the third and final phase of Bihar assembly elections in which 2.35 crore voters will decide the electoral fate of more than 1,200 candidates, including the Speaker and some members of the state cabinet, ended on Thursday evening, reports news agency PTI.

As Bihar will go to the third and final phase of polling for the 2020 assembly election on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday evening wrote an open letter to the state’s populace where he spoke about the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's achievements under chief minister Nitish Kumar's leadership.

Modi wrote," People believe that only NDA government can keep the momentum of development going in Bihar,” he wrote in the letter and asked voters in the state to vote for NDA candidates in the election".

While citing the Narendra Modi's governments achievements, BJP President JP Nadda said that Prime Minister's timely decisions with regard to Covid-19 such as imposition of a lockdown ensured that the infection doesn't spread massively. Nadda added that 15 lakh Covid-19 tests are being carried out daily.

BJP President JP Nadda is addressing his second rally of the day in Bihar's Jalley. Nadda was earlier addressing a rally at Hayaghat constituency.

In his poll rally at Hayaghat, JP Nadda spoke at length about the various achievements of the Nitish Kumar led NDA government in Bihar. He also claimed that the schemes introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's central government have largely benefited the people of Bihar.

Furthering Modi's pitch on self reliance, JP Nadda assured the crowd at the rally that Atmanirbhar Bharat will only help in bringing development in the state.

Taking a jibe at opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav, JP Nadda said "Those who were absent from Vidhan Sabha for a year are promising jobs" regarding poll promises of the opposition to create jobs in the state.

BJP National President JP Nadda is currently addressing an election rally at Hayaghat constituency in Bihar.

Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress had cast his aspersions on the Electronic Voting Machines used for elections and called them "Modi Voting Machines" earlier on Wednesday.

Leader of Lok Janshakti Party Chirag Paswan had said he won't comment on the statement, however, he went on to say that whenever opposition speaks of EVM tampering, it means that they are conceding defeat. He also said the opposition never speaks about it whenever they form the government, reports ANI.

In a press conference, Bihar's ex health minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) candidate for Hasanpur constituency, Tej Pratap Yadav has expressed his confidence about the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) winning the Bihar Elections, reports news agency ANI.

National president of the Bharatiya Janata Party Jagat Prakash Nadda will address two rallies in Bihar today. In a tweet, he had announced that he will meet people in the Hayaghat (12:15pm) and Jale (02:30pm) constituencies.