Did PM Modi Reach Out To Bhojpuri-Speaking Areas In Bihar With His Mauritius Visit?

Did PM Modi recently visit Mauritius keeping the upcoming Bihar elections in November in mind? Possibly. It may not please the Opposition parties, but Modi’s visit to the African nation where he was greeted with traditional Bihari songs at the airport are bound to irk parties vying to take on the BJP in the polls. Often referred to as “mini Bihar” because of the large number of people of Bihar origin who had relocated there as indentured labourers, starting in 1834, Modi went all out to signal his intent to strengthen ties with the thriving Bihari diaspora in the island nation. First, he presented makhana (fox nuts) to his Mauritian counterpart Navin Ramgoolam and started his speech at an event in Bhojpuri to the delight of Mauritians. Nearly 70% of the population in Mauritius are of Indian origin. More than half of them are descendants of indentured labourers (girmitiya mazdoor) who were sent to plantations in Mauritius from Bihar and UP by the then British colonial rulers. Modi was conferred with the highest national honour of Mauritius, ‘Order of the Star and Key of Indian Ocean’ on its National Day in Port Louis. He also handed Overseas Citizens of India cards to Mauritius PM Ramgoolam and his wife Veena.  He gifted President Dharam Gokhool and First Lady Vrinda Ganga water collected from Prayagraj during the recently concluded Maha Kumbh. Throughout the visit, the PM’s social media handles put up posts in Bhojpuri and were shared by senior BJP leaders and members. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA lost some significant Bhojpuri-speaking constituencies such as Buxar, Ara, Sasaram, and Aurangabad. The Bhojpuri belt in Bihar is spread across 10 districts and comprises 73 Assembly seats.