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Why is Bihar’s unemployment rate over 46% despite a double-engine govt? Tejashwi asks PM
Leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav accused the NDA governments at the Centre and the state of being responsible for unemployment, migration and poverty in Bihar.
Ahead of the second phase of Bihar assembly election, Opposition leaders raised the pitch against the ruling NDA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi with RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav accusing the BJP–JD(U) led combine of failing to bring in industries and addressing core issues like unemployment, migration and price rise during its tenure.
Addressing over a dozen rallies on Sunday which was the last day of campaign for the second phase of polling , Tejashwi said the NDA governments at the Centre and the state were responsible for failing to address unemployment, migration and poverty. He asserted that if voted to power, his government would work for the uplift of weaker sections and provide 10 lakh jobs to youths by taking the decision in the first cabinet.
“We are coming to power and will provide jobs to 10 lakh youths. The Nitish Kumar government has failed to address joblessness in the state and was also silent on the price rise and inflation. Both the central and state government led by NDA have failed to fulfill their promises,” he said, at rallies in Mahua, Bakhtiarpur and other places.
In an oblique attack against Prime Minister Modi’s jibe against him and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by describing both the youth leaders “double yuvraj” trying to save their own chairs, Tejashwi asked why the PM did not speak about why there was unemployment rate of 46.6% in Bihar in the double “engine government” (of the NDA at the centre and Bihar) and why Bihar had a high crime rate as per NCRB (National Crime Record Bureau) and why the state was rated low in health, education sectors by the Niti Aayog.
“The respected Prime Minister had said in 2014’s election meeting that he would reopen the closed sugar mills in Motihari and have the next cup of tea upon arrival at Motihari from sugar made in them only. The Prime Minister today came to Motihari six years later but did not speak anything about those closed sugar mills and tea?” Tejashwi tweeted in the afternoon, soon after Modi’s election meeting in Motihari on the concluding day of campaign for the second phase of polls in 94 seats to be held on November 3.
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Meanwhile, Lok Janshakti Party chief Chirag Paswan continued his diatribe against chief minister Nitish Kumar claiming there has been widespread corruption in the implementation of the state government’s ambitious seven resolves programme in last few years and demanded a thorough probe into it.
He also claimed that the JD(U) strongman might switch to the grand alliance after the polls and seek to project himself as PM candidate in the 2024 parliamentary polls.
In a tweet, Chiag also accused Nitish Kumar of damaging the prospects of the BJP candidates and appealed to voters to vote for LJP and BJP candidates for a government without the incumbent CM. The tweet came soon after PM Modi addressed a few rallies in Bihar. The LJP is under fire from the NDA leaders especially the JD(U) for fielding candidates in most of the seats it is contesting and trying to portray itself as close to the BJP.
Top BJP leaders have clarified repeatedly in recent weeks that the LJP is not part of the NDA in Bihar with Modi even seeking votes for the BJP, JD(U) , HAM(S) and VIP candidates on Sunday to underline that these parties are the NDA partners in the state.
Significantly, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha , heading the grand secular democratic front comprising the AIMIM, BSP and smaller outfits, also attacked PM Modi and chief minister Nitish Kumar saying that the nobody is happy with the BJP-led NDA be it in Bihar or across the country. “The education sector in Bihar has remained neglected in past 15 years. Even the previous government did little for its betterment,” he said.
