New Delhi [India], November 1 : With Bihar heading into a high-stakes two-phase Assembly election on November 6 and 11, political tempers flared as leaders from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition Mahagathbandhan exchanged sharp barbs over their respective manifestos.
NDA leaders, including Union Minister Nityanand Rai and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan, defended the alliance's 'Sankalp Patra', asserting that it reflects the commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership to make Bihar a developed state.
In response, Mahagathbandhan's Chief Ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav dismissed the document as a "copycat manifesto" and demanded that the NDA issue a "sorry patra" instead.
Union Minister Nityanand Rai said the NDA government had fulfilled every promise made under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi at the Centre and Nitish Kumar in Bihar.
"Those people broke whatever promises they made. When the leaders of that Mahagathbandhan, which spread 15 years of jungle raj, murder, dacoity, kidnapping, rape, and caste frenzy, question the NDA's resolution document, then the public asks them what promise they fulfilled?" Rai told ANI.
Highlighting the NDA's performance, Rai said that more than 30 crore people nationally and over three crore in Bihar had been lifted out of poverty.
"Bihar has already caught up with the pace of development, and it will continue to experience even faster development. Youth, women, the poor, and farmers, the four pillars of Prime Minister Modi's vision for a developed India, will become so strong that Bihar will make a significant contribution to India's development," he added.
Echoing similar sentiments, LJP (Ram Vilas) chief and Union Minister Chirag Paswan said the NDA's 'Sankalp Patra' was a forward-looking document outlining a five-year roadmap for Bihar's transformation.
Speaking at a rally in Maner, Paswan said, "This resolution document is our promise for the next five years, which we are making with the vision of making Bihar a developed state. We will establish industries in every district. We have prepared this vision document with a complete roadmap."
Taking aim at the opposition, Paswan said, "The work of the Mahagathbandhan has been reduced to nothing more than personal attacks. Tejashwi Yadav says that he will give government jobs to every family. He should at least calculate how he will do it. When asked how it will happen, he says 'It will happen,' but it doesn't work that way."
Paswan exuded confidence about the NDA's victory, saying, "The way we see a wave of NDA everywhere we go leaves no speck of doubt that a strong NDA government will be formed in Bihar this time. In 2020, NDA was divided, while Mahagathbandhan was united; today, the situation is the opposite, NDA is united, and the Grand Alliance is divided."
Releasing the joint manifesto in Patna on Friday, the NDA promised to provide over one crore government jobs and employment opportunities, conduct a 'skills census' to promote skills-based employment, and establish mega skill centres in every district, transforming Bihar into a 'Global Skill Training Centre'.
The manifesto also includes financial assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh for women under the 'Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana', aiming to make one crore women 'Lakhpati Didi'. It further pledges Rs 10 lakh assistance for occupational groups belonging to Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), and an annual benefit of Rs 9,000 for farmers under the 'Kapurgari Thakur Kisan Samman Nidhi'.
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said that the NDA government was committed to empowering EBCs.
"Under the chairmanship of a retired Supreme Court judge, a high-level committee will be formed to assess the social and financial conditions of different communities under EBCs and make suggestions for their upliftment," he stated.
The manifesto also promises metro train services in four additional cities besides Patna, ten new industrial parks, and Rs 50 lakh crore in investments over five years.
However, Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav launched a sharp counterattack, calling the NDA's manifesto "a recycled version" of opposition promises.
"They copy everything. They say they will provide one crore jobs. They ask me where I will generate jobs from; they should say where they will do it from," Yadav told reporters.
Demanding an apology from the ruling alliance, he said, "The NDA should bring in a 'sorry patra' (apology manifesto) and apologise to the 14 crore people of Bihar that even after ruling for twenty years, Bihar is one of the poorest states."
Yadav also questioned Nitish Kumar's leadership, alleging that the Chief Minister "might not even be aware" of what was written in the NDA's manifesto.
He accused the government of failing to attract industries or investments to the state. "There is no factory, no investment. The government has failed in all sectors. They should apologise to the people of Bihar," he said.
Criticising promises of new hospitals, Yadav claimed that existing ones already lack doctors, nurses, and medicines. "They said hospitals will be built in every district, but the medical colleges have no doctors or medicines," he alleged.
Confident of a Mahagathbandhan victory, Yadav added, "This is just 'jumla'. People of Bihar have recognised their 'chaal-charitra'. They will give NDA a befitting reply this time. Mahagathbandhan will form the government."
Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal, includes Congress party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML) led by Deepankar Bhattacharya, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP).
NDA includes the Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha.
On Tuesday, the Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress, released its manifesto titled 'Bihar Ka Tejashwi Pran,' promising to pass a law within 20 days of forming government, to provide government jobs to one member of every family in the state.
Voting for Bihar's 243-seat Assembly will take place in two phases on November 6 and 11. Counting of votes will take place on November 14.