Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said people of Bihar would not have migrated to other states in such large numbers in search of livelihood had Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Nitish Kumar fulfilled their promises.

Accusing both leaders of fooling the people with lies and falsehood, Rahul blamed Modi and Nitish for the unprecedented miseries suffered by millions of Biharis and the highest rate of unemployment in the state.

The Congress leader also tried to ignite the aspirations of farmers in Bihar by promising systems of public procurement and minimum support price if the RJD-Congress-Left alliance came to power.

Addressing public rallies in Katihar and Kishanganj, Rahul said: “Why do the people of Bihar feel compelled to wander in other states in search of jobs? Why did the migrant labourers from Bihar suffer such miseries during the lockdown? People had to walk hundreds of kilometres without food and water to reach their homes. Did you see people walking towards Mumbai, Punjab and Karnataka? This happened because Modi and Nitish didn’t fulfil their promises, forcing millions to go to other states for jobs.”

As Bihar voted on Tuesday in the second phase of elections, Rahul kept the focus on the miseries of people in the state instead of dwelling on larger national issues, which he usually does.

The Congress-RJD alliance has realised the depth of voters’ anger and decided to avoid diversions by sticking to the twin issues of lockdown woes and unemployment.

Amid loud cheer from the crowd, Rahul said: “Those who give their blood and sweat to build the country were not given even a day before the lockdown was announced. A Prime Minister cannot take such decisions. But this Prime Minister does not have compassion for the poor, he has no space for the poor in his heart. Thousands of people were dying but he was happy ordering taali-thali and flashing mobile phone torchlight.”

He added: “When millions of workers wanted to go home, the Prime Minister stopped trains and buses. We were not in power, but we offered whatever help we could. Both these people — Modi and Nitish — have no shame as they come to you seeking votes.”

“Modi won’t talk about his promise of two crore jobs every year, he won’t talk about sending Rs 15 lakh into your accounts. He won’t talk about the miseries he inflicted on the whole country through note-bandi. But the truth is that he works for a few capitalists. People of Punjab have understood this — they are burning the effigies of Modi, Ambani and Adani together,” the former Congress president said.

Though the plight of farmers in Bihar, where the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act had been repealed in 2006, has been miserable, this issue had never become an election plank since then.

But the Congress has succeeded in bringing agriculture back on the table by highlighting the raw deal farmers get in the state.

Rahul asked: “The Chhattisgarh government in your neighbourhood gives Rs 2,500 for a quintal of paddy. Why are you getting Rs 1,200?”

Though the Prime Minister vaguely tried to address these concerns in his speeches on Tuesday by arguing that grand plans were in the pipeline, Rahul rubbed the message in by pointing to the inaction over the last many years.

“Why can’t your paddy and maize be processed in mills here; why have food processing industries not been set up here? What have Nitish and Modi done for farmers all this while? Why is the produce from Bihar sent to faraway Delhi and Mumbai for processing? We give you a commitment that our government will set up food processing industries in your districts. Youths in Bihar won’t have to wander for jobs anymore.”

As both Katihar and Kishanganj have high Muslim presence, Rahul also talked of divisive politics, an issue he didn’t raise in his last four meetings.

He said: “A country without unity is doomed. The RSS and the BJP divide people, but we work for peace and unity.”

He also referred to Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM, which is threatening to slice away Congress-RJD votes, saying: “The RSS’s B-team is wandering with the same agenda, to divide people.”