Meeting the families of six persons killed in serial bomb blasts during his Sunday rally, BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Saturday assured them all help from the party.
Amid tight security, Modi first headed for Gaurichak in old Patna locality to convey his condolences to the kin of village Azeemchak resident Raj Narain Singh, 65, who had died in the serial blasts.
The BJP leader garlanded the photograph of Singh, sat on the floor as he consoled the family and handed them a cheque of Rs five lakh on behalf of the party, said Arun Sinha, BJP MLA from Kumrahr.
Singh was a farmer and an ardent follower of Jaiprakash Narayan. He had gone to Modi's rally without informing his family, the Gujarat Chief Minister was informed by Bihar's former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi who accompanied him.
Leader of Opposition Nand Kishore Yadav was also present.
Sinha said the family sought a job for one of the three sons of Singh and Modi assured them he will look into it. Singh's other two sons are in the Army.
"Modi consoled Singh's widow. The family was assured that the party will take care of them and they were satisfied that Modi had come to meet them," BJP leader Ravishanakar Prasad said.
Modi's visit was delayed by two hours in the morning due to fog. As the weather opened up, he left for Gauraichak, 25 km from Patna, in a helicopter. He has been accorded the status of "state guest" by the Bihar government. The state guest house where he has been staying is opposite to chief minister Nitish Kumar's official residence.
Heavy security arrangement was in place Modi's visit.
Besides, Bihar police personnel, 150 police officials from Gujarat including one Additional Director General of Police rank officer, two Deputy Inspector General of Police and six Deputy Superintendent of Police level officials have come to Bihar as part of elaborate security cover for Modi at all the places he would visit, police sources said.
As part of Z++ VVIP security arrangement for Modi, the Bihar government has issued an alert. A DIG rank officer along with Commissioner is accompanying the Gujarat Chief Minister in all the districts he is visiting, police sources added.
From Gaurichak, Modi was slated to families of victims in Kaimur, Gopalganj, Supual, Begusarai and Nalanda.
Nalanda, the home district of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, will be the final destination of Modi. From there he will fly in helicopter straight to Patna airport to return to Ahmedabad in his chartered plane, BJP sources said.
Six persons were killed in multiple explosions on October 27 during "Hunkar rally" which was addressed by Modi, his first major political show in rival Nitish Kumar's home turf after parting of ways of JD-U and BJP on June 16 last.
The investigation in the blasts case has pointed to involvement of Indian Mujahideen militant outfit.
Within a week, Narendra Modi has returned to Bihar to pay condolence to the six persons killed in the blasts on Sunday.
The ruling JD-U hit out at Modi, alleging that he was playing politics of polarisation and questioned why he had never visited the families of 2002 Gujarat riots.
"This kind of behaviour does not behove a person who has been named as the prime ministerial candidate by the main opposition party. We are not saying he should not come to Bihar. But the time he has chosen is not right," JD-U leader Shivanand Tiwari said.
His colleague K C Tyagi attacked Modi for travelling with a large security entourage from Gujarat, saying his actions were an insult to the prestige of Bihar.
"It is naked aggression from one state against another. He is behaving like the cruel invaders from the medieval period. Till now we had only seen Centre's interference in affairs of the states," he said.
