BJP president Amit Shah speaks at the party workers meeting in Patna on Saturday, October 3, 2015. (Press Trust of India photo)
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi blasted Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for being "arrogant" enough to reject the special package, BJP president Amit Shah also attacked Mr Kumar on similar line, stating that he had no right to dismiss the package.
"Arrogant and over-ambitious Nitish Kumar, who harboured a dream to become PM, does not have any right to reject the special package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore announced for the people of the state," Mr Shah told a BJP workers Sammelan at Gardanibagh stadium.
"Narendra Modi government has promised to give Rs 1.25 lakh crore special package besides Rs 40,000 crore for existing schemes to change the fortunes of Bihar. The amount together is three times of Bihar's annual budget of about Rs 50,000 crore. Lalu-Nitish did not even bother to thank, instead Nitish said that Bihar will stand on its own," he said.
"Nitish Kumar does not have any right to deny special package announced for Bihar as it is meant for the welfare of poor, youths, women and farmers," Mr Shah said while addressing BJP workers of 32 Assembly seats of Patna and neighbouring areas that would go for polls in the third phase on October 28.
Mr Shah, who has been camping in Bihar for past three days and moving around the state to galvanise party workers for the crucial Bihar poll, lambasted Mr Kumar's claim of ushering the state into development in company of RJD and Congress.
"With Lalu Prasad symbolising 'jungle raj' sitting on one shoulder and Congress symbolising corruption on another, Kumar's claim of development is nothing but farce," he said while addressing a workers meeting at Purnea earlier.
He said "jungle raj" was prevailing in the state during RJD's 15-year-rule and a win for Grand Alliance meant return of "jungle raj-2."
Alleging that RJD-Congress rule of past 25 years had made the state most backward, he accused the Bihar Chief Minister of backstabbing the people's mandate of 2010 by severing ties with the BJP.
Seeking to take wind out of AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asauddin Owaisi's sails on alleged neglect of Muslim-dominated Seemanchal area, the BJP chief said the future NDA government would pay special attention to the area.
Mr Shah also highlighted the performance of BJP ruled states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh, stating because of their good showing the party had been winning elections regularly in the states.