PATNA, Aug. 7 -- Union home minister Amit Shah, along with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, will on Friday lay the foundation stone for comprehensive development of Punaura Dham, believed to be the birth place of Mata Sita, in Sitamarhi as a religious and tourist place of national importance. Senior BJP leaders and administrative officials have been touring Sitamarhi to oversee the preparations and extend invitation to people to attend the function in large numbers. Meanwhile, Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav has also given his nod for the Amrit Bharat train from Sitamarhi to Delhi after a delegation led by Rajya Sabha MP and JD-U working president met him with a request. The train will make it easy to devotees visit the religious site. During the last Monsoon Session of the Bihar Legislature, the Bihar Religious Trust Board (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was passed to develop Punaura Dham as part of the Ramayan Circuit, which would have connectivity with Ayodhya. In the state cabinet meeting held on July 1 under the chairmanship of the Nitish Kumar, Rs.882.87-crore was approved for the construction of the temple of Mother Janaki and the overall development of its premises, which will also have a museum, Mithila Haat, library and tourist service centre. The construction work is expected to be completed within a year. Union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai, who visited Sitamarhi ahead of Shah's visit, said that the development of Punaura Dham would add value and uplift to overall economic and cultural development of the area. "Punaura Dham will shine like Ayodhya," he added. Shah had visited Sitamarhi ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and announced construction of a grand temple at the birthplace of Mata Sita. Last time, he visited Bihar was in March this year and addressed a public meeting in Gopalganj. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already made five visits to the state this year in a build up for the election and his sixth visit is also likely in Gaya later this month. "The date of August 8 was decided for foundation stone laying of the temple project by saints and scholars and the home minister will come for that purpose. Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took charge, it has been his focus to give utmost importance to places of religious, cultural and historical significance. I am thankful to Bihar CM for making all the arrangements for the temple construction after Shah made the public announcement for its construction," Rai said. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Jha said that it would fulfill the great dream of the Mithila residents to have a magnificent temple of Maa Janaki and it would have direct connectivity with Ayodhya through express highway. Bihar tourism minister Nitish Mishra said that the cabinet had earlier given its nod for land acquisition process for the temple project and 50 acres will be acquired at present. "We are also in touch with the Ayodhya Temple Trust, as the project is to be developed on the lines of the Ram Temple," he added. The culturally rich Mithilanchal has been the focus area of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. The BJP is particularly attentive towards the region as it has given it good electoral returns that the party seeks to consolidate further. In 2020 state assembly polls, the NDA had bagged five out of the six assembly seats of the Sitamarhi Lok Sabha constituency -- three went to the BJP and two to the JD-U. In the adjoining Sheohar district, the NDA had bagged four (all BJP) of the six seats. Both the Lok Sabha seats were won by the JD(U) in 2024. Bihar has remained the Achilles' heel for BJP as it is the only north Indian state -- and that too politically potent -- that has kept power away from the party's sole hands. It has never been able to touch the 100-seat mark in the 243-member Assembly on its own, though it has remained mostly in power since 2005 in alliance with the JD(U). Shah's visit coincides with the time when the political atmosphere in the state is surcharged over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and war of words over alleged two Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) of leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav. Tejashwi is facing the heat of NDA leader and is to reply to an EC notice. He, however, has accused the EC of administering irregularities in the SIR and its draft voter rolls. The EC notice to Tejashwi over two EPIC possession might give ammunition to target RJD leader and the Opposition. But Shah's arrival in Bihar also likely to be faced with thorny issue of seat-sharing among the NDA constituents. Some of NDA allies have hinted aspirations for higher seats than what they got last time. Shah is also likely to interact with the party cadre to give some valuable tips for the crucial election....