PM Modi to kickstart Bihar election campaign today, likely to announce special package for the state

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kickstart Bharatiya Janata Party's Bihar election campaign on Saturday by addressing a rally in Muzaffarpur district. Modi is likely to announce a special economic package for Bihar and share his vision for the state.

All Central Ministers from Bihar are likely to attend the rally, including Union Ministers Ramvilas Paswan, Upendra Kushwaha and former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Modi is also likely to share stage with his arch-rival and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the first time at the inauguration of the IIT campus in Patna but the Janata Dal United is tight-lipped over it.

The BJP is bringing out the big guns to boost its chances in the state and after party President Amit Shah sounded the poll bugle last week.

Modi has a jam packed schedule as he will start the day by inaugurating the new campus of IIT Patna. But all eyes will be on Modi as he is likely to announce the Din Dayal Rashtriya Gram and Sahri Jyoti Yojana, an ambitious rural electrification scheme.

Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, "According to the Prime Minister, the first necessity for knowledge is light. Therefore we must have electricity in homes."

He will also inaugurate the Suvidha Train between Patna and Mumbai and the Daniyawan Biharsharif rail line. Modi will also lay the foundation stone for new 2,000 kms Jagdishpur Haldia gas pipeline of GAIL.

Pradhan said, "An agreement has been reached between the Bihar government and the Centre. This is not just connection, all the proper systems required will come under this scheme."

But the political side of Modi's Bihar trip will only take place when he will address the mega election rally in Muzaffarpur. And his speech is expected to be peppered with a no-hold's barred attack on BJP's one time ally - the JDU.

JDU spokesperson Ajay Alok said, "The country's Prime Minister is coming and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will welcome him at the airport. And he will be there at all the programs when he is invited. There is no question of embarrassment."