Still reeling in from its major loss in the Bihar election results, Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj has claimed that the NDA alliance diverted funds from World Bank. In an interview with ANI, spokesperson Pavan Verma accused the central government of pulling funds meant for another project from the World Bank and distributing it to women voters during the Bihar Assembly elections.
Earlier, ₹10,000 was transferred to the accounts of 1.25 crore women voters under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana. Follow LIVE updates on Bihar assembly election results
In an interview with ANI, Kumar said that, at present, the public debt in Bihar i is at 4,06,000 crores. The interest per day is 63 crores and claimed that the treasure is empty.
Verma claimed the ₹10,000 given to women in the state was taken from ₹21,000 crores, which came from the World Bank for some other project.
"An hour before the moral code of conduct for the polls, ₹14,000 crores were taken out and distributed to 1.25 crore women in the state," he alleged. At the same time, Verma also said that the allegation may or may not be true.
“As I have said, this is our information. If it is wrong, I seek forgiveness. But if it is true, then the question arises as to how far this is ethical, ” he asked. He said that it is possible for the government to direct funds and later give an explanation after the elections.
{{/usCountry}}“As I have said, this is our information. If it is wrong, I seek forgiveness. But if it is true, then the question arises as to how far this is ethical, ” he asked. He said that it is possible for the government to direct funds and later give an explanation after the elections.
{{/usCountry}}Also read: 'Difficult to defeat ruling parties': Jan Suraaj's Pavan Verma on party's performance in Bihar elections
“You make promises, and the other party gives money,” Verma noted, talking about the promises made by the Jan Suraaj party in the polls, but failed to secure any seats in the election.
Further, he said that there were rumours that if the NDA is not voted to power, the rest of the amount will not be transferred. He said that out of the total four crore women, 2.5 crore have not yet received the amount, and they felt that the benefit would not reach them if the NDA did not come to power.
Reacting to the question of whether social welfare schemes like Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana will be the X factor in polls, Verma said that Prime Minister Modi has himself criticised giving freebies. "Maybe he had said it in the context of the Delhi Assembly and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Now what happened in Bihar?," he added.
Also read: After blank tally in Bihar, big update on Prashant Kishor from Jan Suraaj chief | India News
He also refuted the claims that the performance of the party in assembly polls could be due to the founder Prashant Kishore's promise to lift the liquor ban in Bihar if voted to power. He said that liquor was being sold in every corner of the state at a higher price. "Would that not affect women who have to run their homes?", he added.
Verma attributed the party's loss to other factors, including the last-minute transfer of ₹10,000 and the ruling party's policies towards women.