‘Young candidates will dominate BJP list’ .

“The combined manifesto of all the NDA [National Democratic Alliance] partners will be released soon”, BJP president Amit Shah announced at a packed press conference that he addressed at the party’s central office.

None of the Thakurs have a chance at the throne, including C P Thakur, a Bhumihar leader from Muzaffarpur. Another 23 goes to the OBC party, Upendra Kushwaha’s RSLP.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi besides all other CEC members attended the meeting chaired by party President Amit Shah. Unfortunately, his caste doesn’t quite cut it. The EBCs [Extremely Backward Classes] and the OBCs [Other Backward Classes] are not exactly categories who are on the same side.

So why isn’t the BJP announcing his name? He said, we are committed for the overall development of the state.

Union MinisterPrakash Javadekar also referred to the poll-bound Bihar’s 21 rank in the list, and said the BJP-led NDA would propel the state among the top slots in a few years if it is voted to power in the upcoming assembly elections. Each one of these fancies himself as the next occupant of 1, Anne Marg in Patna, traditionally the chief minister’s residence.

Modi as Gujarat chief minister would often invoke “Gujarati asmita” (Gujarati pride), much to his advantage, whenever he would be attacked by his opponents.

Bihar’s grand alliance today complained to the Election Commission about BJP workers from the state allegedly being taken to saffron party-ruled states for “training” by special trains at concessional rates in violation of the norms and demanded action under the anti-graft law. The former deputy chief minister claimed that Muslims were not “allergic” to the NDA, and said his party would put up more Muslim candidates this time. Many recall those days as “jungle raj”.

Delhi made Bihar relevant. “A number of medium-level investors, who were willing to invest in the state, backed out after Nitish joined hands with Lalu Prasad”, a businessman said, preferring anonymity. “But the propaganda that all Yadavs are going to vote for him is not correct”, he said. Besides, Nitish has also been talking about development projects.