‘Arrogant’ Nitish Kumar’s ego will hurt Bihar: Narendra Modi
BANKA(Bihar): It will be double celebration in Bihar this Diwali, one for the festival and other for the poll results, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was campaigning in Banka on Friday.
Addressing his first rally in the state after the polls dates were announced, Modi said, “There will be two Diwali celebrations this time in Bihar. One will be on the day of the festival and second on the day of poll results.”
The Prime Minister also took a dig at his rivals for doubting the delivery of the financial package for Bihar announced by him.
“Some people are raising questions on the Rs 1.65 lakh crore package announced by me. They are asking whether it will come or not. Should a single rupee be given to the present government. Will it reach you?
Attacking Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said he is “too arrogant” to be trusted with governance and asked people to back development agenda of BJP to change the state’s fortunes.
The Prime Minister also took a dig at his rivals for doubting the delivery of the financial package for Bihar announced by him.”Some people are raising questions on the Rs 1.65 lakh crore package announced by me. They are asking whether it will come or not. Should a single rupee be given to the present government. Will it reach you?
“Even if I give it, his (Nitish’s) arrogance is so much that he may even return it. I am worried that even if I give the Rs 1.65 lakh crore to the state, he will announce that he does not require this money as it has been given by Modi. I cannot trust him,” he said, recalling that an ‘angry’ Kumar had returned the Rs 5 crore relief announced by Gujarat for the flood-affected in Kosi.
The Prime Minister also asked former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who shared the dais with him, whether he can trust Kumar after he ousted him from the top job in the state some months after having appointed him.
“Nobody can trust him after what he did to Jitan Ram Manjhi. People of Bihar cannot trust him,” Modi said.He also countered the attack of his rivals on his announcement of a huge package for Bihar, saying he was not doing any favour to Bihar as has been alleged.
“The government in Delhi is not doing any favour to anyone. This is the right of Bihar and its people, which I am trying to provide unlike in the past. I am fulfilling the responsibility entrusted to me,” he said, adding, “This is not Modi’s money, it belongs to Bihar and its people”.
Holding that Bihar has seen all kinds of ‘isms’ like feudalism, capitalism, separatism and dynastism, he said, “it is time that people of the state should vote for ‘vikasvaad’ (development).”
Appealing to youth to turn up in large numbers to cast their vote for NDA in the ensuing Bihar assembly polls, he said stressing that Bihar’s development was linked to the country’s progress.
Citing a World Bank report on ease of doing business, he said that Bihar continues to lag behind at 27th place among Indian states unlike Jharkhand which was ruled by BJP after bifurcation, progressed from 29th to 3rd place.
Modi also talked about meeting a delegation of people from Bihar in the US during his recent visit and said they were more worried about changing the fortunes of their home state.
