Kirti Azad dares BJP to expel him from party

DARBHANGA: Suspended MP Kirti Azad on Saturday dared BJP to expel him from the party.

“The party (BJP) does not have guts to expel me,” Azad said, adding he would contest from Darbhanga parliamentary constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha election, come what may.

Talking to media persons here, Azad accused the central and state governments of hoodwinking the people of Mithilanchal by promising a lot and delivering nothing.

“The Centre made provision for another AIIMS in Bihar in its Budget three years back, but the state government did not provide the land and also failed to select the location. A few months ago, the state government forwarded a proposal to Union health ministry for establishment of AIIMS on the campus of DMCH, which was rejected on the ground that the hospital does not fulfil the parameters required for AIIMS,” Azad said.

The former cricketer said he tried to meet PM Modi but was not given time from his office. “Had the state government’s intention been clear, the central government would not have rejected the proposal. The state government had made the proposal even without acquiring the required land,” Azad said.

He added CM Nitish Kumar wants AIIMS to be established at Biharsharif instead of Darbhanga. “Biharsharif was selected under Smart City mission, ignoring the claim of Darbhanga,” he said.

Azad alleged that state government had entered into an agreement with the Union civil aviation ministry for civil airport at Darbhanga in June 2017, but acquisition of 30 acres of land for this was not done. He said land for a proposed IT park and a road overbridge has not been made available so far. Azad threatened to launch an agitation if AIIMS is not established in this town.