Yogi Adityanath Rings ‘Cultural Nationalism’ in Bihar Campaign
Saharsa rally of UP CM Yogi Adityanath (Image credit Amit Kumar)
Adityanath’s campaign in Saharsa marked a launch of BJP’s high-octane electioneering, leveraging cultural nationalism and governance.
By AMIT KUMAR
Saharsa (Bihar), October 16, 2025—Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched campaign for the Bihar Assembly elections on Thursday, addressing a nomination rally for four constituencies in Saharsa district. The prominent BJP leader, known for his Hindutva rhetoric, set a charged tone for the polls, blending appeals to cultural pride with sharp criticism of the Congress and the RJD—led INDIA alliance, while championing the NDA’s developmental record under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Opening his speech with reverence for Bihar’s legacy, Adityanath hailed the state as the sacred land of Lord Buddha, Lord Mahavira, poet Vidyapati, and Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, which gave India luminaries like Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Jayaprakash Narayan, and Karpoori Thakur. “I offer my deepest salutations to this holy soil and warmly welcome you all,” he said, framing Bihar and Uttar Pradesh as united by the eternal bond of Lord Ram and Mother Sita, representing a “shared heritage, culture, faith, and future.”
Adityanath recounted the journey of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, a key BJP narrative. “Eight to ten years ago, Bihar’s people asked if the Ram Temple would ever be built. We said it would. Devotees asked when, journalists asked how, and Congress—RJD leaders scoffed it would never happen,” he said, drawing cheers. He celebrated the temple’s completion, with Lord Ram, Sita, Bharat, Lakshman, Shatrughna, and Hanuman now enshrined in Ayodhya’s Ram Darbar.
He also highlighted the ongoing construction of a ₹900-crore Janaki Mandir in Bihar’s Sitamarhi, underscoring the state’s spiritual wealth alongside its intellectual and democratic heritage, from Aryabhata to Vaishali’s ancient democracy. “When democracy faces threats, a Jayaprakash Narayan will rise from Bihar to protect it,” he declared.
Drawing historical parallels, Adityanath praised Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first President, for defying Jawaharlal Nehru to restore the Somnath Temple, honouring India’s faith. “India’s faith will be honoured, its heritage protected,” he vowed.
Turning to the opposition, Adityanath lambasted the Congress—RJD “mahagathbandhan” for disrespecting India’s heritage. “Congress denied the existence of Ram and Krishna, insulted India and Indians, and encouraged anarchy through infiltrators,” he charged. He accused RJD of prioritizing family over state: “Modi ji says 140 crore Indians are his family; Lalu ji says only Rabri Devi’s family matters.” In contrast, he credited the NDA’s “double-engine” government under Nitish Kumar for transforming Bihar over two decades—boosting village connectivity, establishing industries, engineering colleges, and universities, and tackling perennial floods.
Adityanath accused Congress and RJD of undermining Bihar’s progress with divisive tactics. “They don’t want development; they want burqas—not for faith, but to enable fake voting and rob the poor and Dalits,” he alleged, claiming they’d show passports abroad but hide faces during Bihar’s polls to manipulate votes. He painted a grim picture of pre-NDA Bihar: mafia dominance, looted development funds, flood-ravaged months, and festival-time riots. “Under NDA, riots stopped, goondaism ended, and development surged,” he said, citing metros, highways, expressways, airports, waterways, and equitable welfare schemes reaching every poor person, farmer, village, and youth.
“Only the NDA’s double-engine government can fight anti-national elements and chaos,” Adityanath concluded, urging voters to thwart the opposition’s “conspiracy” and protect Bihar’s identity. The rally, reverberating with “Jai Shri Ram” chants, marks a high-octane start to BJP’s campaign, leveraging cultural nationalism and governance to rally voters in the crucial elections.
Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn
About The Author
