Bihar assembly polls: Nitish-Tejashwi sharpen attacks on each other

PATNA: With poll dates getting closer, chief minister Nitish Kumar and Mahagatbandhan CM candidate Tejashwi Prasad Yadav have sharpened their attack on one another and are trying to prove their mettle.
Nitish, who held four public rallies on Sunday, counted the works done by his government, while taking jibe at Lalu-Rabri regime. “That time neither there used to be schools, nor electricity. We have done a lot of work since our first tenure, which we increased in second term and even more in the third term. Several education institutes, like AMN colleges and ITI colleges have come up in the state. There are medical colleges coming up and another AIIMS at Darbhanga,” said Nitish, appreciating the work done under seven resolves (saat nischay).
He said the piped water project has been nearly completed and left over work will be done in a couple of months and talked about it pucci-nali gali and toilet in each household.
Addressing a rally in Madhubani, CM said the crime rate has reduced in Bihar. He said before his government, law and order of Bihar was dismal. “When we formed the government, we eliminated crime, corruption and communalism. Everyone can see the result,” said Nitish. He even applauded the work done for empowerment of women and talked about Jeevika model and 10 lakh self-help groups.
Tejashwi on the other hand lashed out at CM Nitish for dismal state of Bihar. Interacting with people in a public rally in Gaya, Tejashwi alleged there was corruption at every level in the government sector. “You cannot get work done at a block office or at a police station without chadhawa (bribe). There is corruption everywhere and Nitish Kumar’s government has done 60 big scams involving Rs 30,000 crore.”
Going back to his employment issue, Tejashwi asked unemployed youths to raise their hand, after which many in the crowd did so. He then added, “Unemployment rate in Bihar is 46.6%. Youths, farmers labrourers and small businessmen are suffering. I am young and let me assure you that I will work for the development of all, be it a forward, Dalit, extremely backward or minority. Be it any caste or religion, I will work for all.”
Tejashwi also addressed a rally at Islampur in Nalanda district, CM Nitish’s home district, where he again raised the issue of unemployment. “Bihar is the youngest state and has the highest unemployment rate in the country. But Nitish Ji has given up. He has accepted he will not be able to sort the issue of unemployment,” said Tejashwi, who addressed six public meets in person and three through his audio message because his helicopter met with some technical glitch.