Purnea (Bihar) [India], November 8 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday announced that he, along with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, laid the foundation stone of a grand temple of Goddess Sita, worth Rs. 850 crores, which is underway to be built in Sitamarhi, during an election rally in Banmankhi town of Purnea district in Bihar.

'Sita Mata is the daughter of Bihar. Should a grand temple of Sita Mata be built in Sitamarhi or not?... Two months ago, Nitish Kumar and I laid the foundation stone for a grand Sita Mata temple in Sitamarhi. We will build a grand Sita temple in Sitamarhi, at a cost of Rs 850 crore... And as soon as Mother Sita's temple is built, a Vande Bharat train will run from Bihar to Ayodhya on the same day to connect Sita's temple and the Ram temple...' he said.

Taking a swipe at Mahagathbandhan leaders Rahul Gandhi and Lalu Prasad Yadav, he added, 'Can Rahul Gandhi and Lalu Prasad Yadav build a Sita Mata temple?... They are afraid of their vote bank... Do you know who their vote bank is?... But Rahul Baba, we are not afraid of that vote bank. A grand temple for Sita Mata is about to be built...'

Shah also criticised the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) over its decision to field Shahabuddin's son, Osama Sahab, in Siwan.

'Lalu's party has given a ticket to Shahabuddin's son, Osama, in Siwan. While handing over the ticket, Lalu's son shouted, 'Shahabuddin Amar rahe.' Listen, Tejashwi, there's no place left for Osama and Shahabuddin on this land of Bihar, this land of Seemanchal,' he said.

Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for starting 'Ghushpaithia Bachao Yatra' while addressing a public meeting during the election rally.

'Should the infiltrators be expelled or not?... Rahul Baba and Lalu's son just started a 'Save the Infiltrators' Yatra. They want Seemanchal to become a stronghold of infiltrators. But...we will work to expel every single infiltrator not only from Seemanchal, but also from the entire Bihar... They snatch the jobs of our youth. They take away the rations of our poor and also make the country unsafe...' he said.

He further emphasised that the Bharitya Janata Party and the NDA plan to expel infiltrators from the state within the next five years.

'We will not only expel the infiltrators, but the encroachment they have made will also be razed to the ground... All the illegal businesses here were established during Lalu's rule and subsequently expanded by infiltrators. In the next five years, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the NDA government will root out every single illegal activity in Seemanchal,' he added.

The first phase of the Bihar elections, which saw a record voter turnout of 65.08 per cent, marked the highest polling percentage in the state's history.

The first phase of polling in Bihar concluded recently, with elections for 122 seats scheduled on November 11 for the second phase. The results of the Bihar Assembly elections are slated to be announced on November 14. (ANI)