Nitish blasts Sonia funds comment
Bihar chief minister and JD(U) stalwart Nitish Kumar on Thursday targeted Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in his acerbic address at a JD(U) conclave, blaming her for the UPA government’s allegedly step-motherly treatment with Bihar and indicating that the issue would be played up by the JD(U) in its campaign for the Assembly polls.
Frequently taking Mrs Gandhi’s name in his long, impassioned speech on the second day of the JD(U)’s state-level workers’ convention at Rajgir, 100 km from Patna, Kumar said his JD(U)-BJP government made Bihar’s rapid socio-economic progress happen even without “Delhi ka paisa”. Mr Kumar was apparently trying to erase the claims made by Congress leaders that huge central funds given to Bihar during the two UPA regimes brought about the state’s development to a large extent despite the state government’s inefficiencies.
“Where is the Centre’s money in Bihar? This NREGS, about which they (UPA govt) are beating drums? NREGS, NREGS, NREGS! Now it is Mahatma Gandhi NREGS! It is as if there was no public employment scheme before this NREGS! They take credit for NREGS, but put the blame for the loot in the NREGS on others,” said Nitish to thunderous applause of the JD(U) workers drawn from across Bihar for the party’s brainstorming conclave ahead of the Assembly polls in November.
“Tell us, Soniajee, what are the Central schemes and Central funds that caused Bihar’s great progress? Bihar’s development has been achieved with the state’s own money, with 40 major welfare schemes and a great road network,” said Mr Kumar. “Are Bihar’s roads built with Delhi’s money? Delhi’s roads have been built with Bihar’s money instead,” he added.
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MP Congress calls protest by BJP a bluff
AGE CORRESPONDENT
BHOPAL
Madhya Pradesh Congress president Suresh Pachouri on Thursday fired a salvo at the state BJP for holding a protest in New Delhi against the alleged negelect by the Centre in meeting the demand for power, coal and adequate funds for schemes sponsored by the government of India.
The state Congress president gave year-wise figures and said that chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was trying to divert attention from his own failures.
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