Nitish attacks opponents, highlights developments of 20 years

Patna: CM Nitish Kumar on Tuesday made a subtle attack on RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his family, accusing them of doing nothing for the state and focusing their attention only on his family’s progress.

Nitish filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha seat last week. Barely six days before the date of polling on March 16, the CM on Tuesday visited Supaul and Madhepura districts as part of his Samriddhi Yatra, during which he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of various development projects worth Rs 872 crore.




However, what drew everyone’s attention was his scathing attacks on his rivals.

“Pahle gadbad karta tha... O sab koi kaam kiya hai? Hat gaya toh apni patni ko bana diya... Hamlog kitna mahilayon ke liye kiye hain (They messed up things in Bihar. Did nothing for the development of the state. Installed his wife as the CM when he was forced to quit the state’s throne, but we have been constantly working for the welfare of the women),” Nitish told the crowd in Supaul in a subtle reference to Lalu and his family. He asked the masses not to listen to his political rivals.

Narrating the situation that prevailed before the NDA came to power in the state, the CM said, “Before 2005, the condition of Bihar was very bad. People would not step out of their homes after evening. There were many disputes in society, and clashes between Hindus and Muslims were a daily occurrence.” He said the education system was also in a deplorable state, and there were no proper arrangements for medical treatment.

“Roads were very few, and the ones that existed were in poor condition. Electricity supply was available in very few areas. We have been continuously engaged in the development of Bihar for the last 20 years. Now there is no atmosphere of fear and terror in Bihar. An environment of love, brotherhood and peace prevails across the entire state. To put an end to Hindu-Muslim disputes, fencing of graveyards was started from 2006 itself and the work was done on a large-scale. Now, there are no fights or disputes,” he claimed, adding the NDA established a rule of law in the state after getting power.

Outlining his ambitious development roadmap for the next five years, Nitish said the planning for the period between 2025 and 2030 has already begun and his govt would focus on expanding industry, generating employment for youth and strengthening welfare schemes for women, among others. The CM highlighted the initiatives launched in the past with regard to the state’s progress and how the Centre was lending its cooperation.

Earlier, at his review meeting with officials, the CM said the NDA govt set a target of providing jobs and employment to one crore youth in the next five years. He said the govt is encouraging those setting up industries and pursuing self-employment in the state by providing them various types of facilities. “Entrepreneurs are being given a special economic package to set up industries in Bihar so that employment is generated,” he said.

Turning to his focus on infrastructure growth, the CM said how urban areas in the state are being expanded, civic amenities are being strengthened and new modern planned cities are being developed in the state. He said for easy connectivity in cities, construction of five new expressway roads and two-lane widening of rural roads is being carried out in a phased manner.

“In addition, strengthening of electricity-related infrastructure and promotion of solar energy usage by installing solar panels on the rooftops of all willing people’s homes is being carried out,” he said, adding the tourist destinations in the state are also being developed.

In his address, Dy CM Samrat Choudhary said the CM was not going anywhere. “Nitish Ji is not going anywhere; we will continue getting his guidance and cooperation for the state’s growth,” Samrat said in his address.

But Lalu’s daughter Rohini Acharya launched bitter attack on Nitish’s yatra, describing it as his “Vidai Yatra”, rather than Samriddhi Yatra. “Uncle ji... Despite occupying the CM’s chair for 20 years, you couldn’t bring prosperity to Bihar, so what kind of ‘prosperity journey’ is this? You should name this journey ‘Farewell Journey’—that would be more befitting,” Rohini said in post on X on Tuesday.