India PM promises billions to Bihar as elections loom

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took his political campaign to the impoverished state of Bihar, promising billions of dollars for infrastructure projects as he seeks to win support ahead of crucial elections there.

Modi committed to allocate funds amounting to some $5.8 billion over five years to help develop the eastern state, as he addressed a gathering in state capital Patna.

The Hindu nationalist premier also launched railway, highway, gas and energy projects, already approved by the central government, before inaugurating a premier engineering college. The state goes to polls in November.

"We believe that states must progress. The gas pipeline and rail projects would lead to development and improve the quality of life of the people in the state," he said.

Modi's right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept to power last May, pledging to reform and revive a flagging economy.

While the BJP has a majority in the lower house of the parliament, it has only about a quarter of the 245 members in the upper house, where seats are distributed based on the strength of political parties in state assemblies.

That has allowed the opposition parties to block the government's critical land, taxation and other legislative reforms needed to overhaul the economy.

Bihar, India's third-most populous state, has never been ruled by BJP on its own with elections being traditionally won by regional parties and alliances.

Two powerful local leaders in Bihar -- Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav -- recently buried their differences to take on the BJP in the elections.

Taking a swipe at his rivals, Modi, 64, said development in Bihar should not be held hostage by petty politics.

"We have seen how much politics can harm development work. It's only the common people who suffer. Nothing should come in the way of development," he said.

Security was tight at the events that Modi attended in view of the bomb blasts that had killed six people during his public rally in Patna in 2013 shortly before he took the stage.