Bihar Election 2020 Updates: 1st phase of Bihar assembly polls concluded on Wednesday.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Friday asked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to speak on issues of unemployment and migration.
In a tweet in Hindi, Tejashwi Yadav said, "Respected Nitishji accepts that in 15 years of his government he has destroyed education, health and industries of the state. He also ruined the present and future of two generations. This is the reason why he does not speak anything about unemployment, jobs industries, investment and migration. Shouldn't he speak on these issues ?"
The Bihar Chief Minister on Thursday said that his government provided over 6 lakh jobs during its 15-year regime as compared to 95,000 people getting jobs during the RJD regime from 1990 to 2005.
"They (RJD) were in power for 15 years and Bihar and Jharkhand were one for 10 of these. Between 1990 and 2005, only 95,000 people were given jobs. In our administration, over 6 lakh jobs were given and besides this many others were enrolled in other services," Nitish Kumar said.
The Bihar Chief Minister further said that if voted to power, his government would install solar street lights in every village of the state.
"We have brought electricity to every house. If we are given a chance again, we will install solar street lights in every village. You can switch off your bulbs but the entire village will stay illuminated the entire night. It will be done by the state government," he said.
The first phase of voting for Bihar legislative assembly polls concluded on Wednesday.
Here are the Highlights on Bihar assembly election 2020:
PM Modi Can't Deliver Jobs So He's Attacking Me: Tejashwi YadavPrime Minister Narendra Modi can't create jobs or revive the economy so he is making personal barbs, Bihar opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav said on Friday, responding to the latest volley of campaign attacks against him ahead of the second phase of state polls.
BJP promises world-class medical college in Bihar's Begusarai
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Jagat Prakash Nadda assured the people of Begusarai in Bihar of a world-class medical college with state of the art technology.
"15 years ago, only strikes used to be held in Begusarai but now a medical college is being built here. I assure that this medical college will be world-class with state of the art technology," he said.
"Do you want a lantern era in the state? Do you want the power supply to be replaced by 'dhibri' (oil lamp)? What do you want - the lantern era or LED era? If you want development in Bihar, the only way is NDA," he added.
NDA will form govt in Bihar with two-third majority: Nityanand Rai
Asserting that the development work by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has reached the people of the Bihar, Minister of State for the Ministry of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that the NDA will form the next government in Bihar.
"There is an NDA wave in the state. There is huge support on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name and work. The people of Bihar are with PM Modi just like the people in the rest of the country," Mr Rai said.
Nearly 46,000 Bihar villages to be connected with optical fibre network: Minister
Showcasing the central government's achievements in digital connectivity, Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that nearly 46,000 villages in Bihar will be connected with optical fibre network in next 6-7 months.
Mr Prasad said that primary schools, Anganwadi centres and ASHA workers will also get free connectivity for one year.
"The Prime Minister had announced that 6 lakh villages will be connected to the optical fibre network in one year. Optical fibre will come in 45,945 villages of Bihar in 6-7 months. This network is already there in all gram panchayats. Now, we will take it to the villages. This work will be done by our youth at Common Service Centres."
"The survey has already been completed in 27,012 villages and the rest will be completed by November. 6,000 optical fibres have already reached villages," he said.
"It's All Bogus": Nitish Kumar On Tejashwi Yadav's 10 Lakh Jobs PromiseBihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has often been seen losing his cool while campaigning this time for re-election. In his latest outburst, he has dissed his rival Tejashwi Yadav's promise of jobs as "bogus".
Jobs have turned out to be a hot button issue in the Bihar election that will end on November 7. The agenda was set by Tejashwi Yadav, who made 10 lakh government jobs his core promise.
"Bogus baat hai (it's all bogus)," Nitish Kumar scoffed at a rally in Parbatta on Friday. He said these statements were primarily made to "misguide and confuse" voters.
Saat Nischay Yojana is biggest scam in Bihar's history: Chirag Paswan
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Chirag Paswan on Friday termed Nitish Kumar's "Saat Nischay Yojana" (Seven Resolves Scheme) as the biggest scam in the history of Bihar.
"This is just the beginning. Whoever is associated with "Saat Nischay Yojana" will be investigated and action will be taken. I kept on saying that "Saat Nischay Yojana" is the biggest scam in the history of Bihar and this should be investigated fully. Just because of investigation they are in fear. Why is Nitish Kumar scared when we are just talking about the investigation," Mr Chirag said.
Mr Chirag also reacted to the Munger firing incident and blamed Nitish Kumar for the episode.
"These kinds of instances increased in Bihar. My Lok Sabha constituency, Jamui have also faced similar incidents. If the state's Chief Minister's thinking is focussed on the caste system, then what can we expect. This is an attempt to do social engineering to indulge in vote bank politics. Chief Minister is fully responsible for it as someone must have given the orders," he added.
If elected, will help 2 ex-Chief Minister's sons pass class 10 exams: Bihar BJP chief takes jibe on RJD
Hitting back at Tejashwi Yadav's barbs that education and health sectors were destroyed under the reign of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, President of the BJP in Bihar Sanjay Jaiswal on Friday took a jibe at the Lalu Prasad's family, saying that if voted to power they will help the "sons of two former CMs (Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi) help clear class 10 exams".
Mr Jaiswal was responding to allegations levelled by Tejashwi Yadav that Bihar's Chief Minister destroyed Health, education and Industries in the state.
"If you talk about Education, for the last 15 years, Nitish Kumar was the chief minister and he distributed cycles, books and uniforms for students, but two chief ministers couldn't motivate both of their sons to pass class 10 exams. It is a matter of concern The person who is alleging, who is the child of two chief ministers couldn't pass 10th in 15 years of Nitish rule. We will make sure to help those from RJD who couldn't clear 10th exam so that they can pass next time," Mr Jaiswal said.
Reservation should be proportionate to population, says Nitish Kumar
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said that reservation should be proportionate to population.
Speaking at a public rally on Thursday, Mr Kumar said, "As far as the question of population is concerned, that is decided only after the census and that decision is not in our hands. We would like to say that reservation should be proportionate to the population, there is no second opinion about it."
"You have given us the chance to work in the past and if you give the same in future, we will continue to work. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working for the whole country and is providing special assistance for the development of Bihar," he added.
Bihar saw a final voter turnout of 55.69 per cent in the first phase of assembly polls with the poll percentage better compared to that in 2015.
It was the first time that voters had come out to exercise their franchise in an assembly election amid the constraints posed by COVID-19.
Modi government gave special priority to Bihar by doubling funds compared to UPA: Anurag ThakurThe Modi government has given special priority to Bihar by giving double funds and assistance compared to the UPA's tenure reflecting commitment towards transforming the state, Union minister Anurag Singh Thakur has said.
To accelerate growth of the state, the Modi government, during 2014-2019, provided Bihar double the amount totalling Rs 1,09,642 crore as compared to Rs 50,008 crore during the UPA 2009-14 through grants-in-aid, he said.
This is an increase of 119 per cent over the amount of funds given by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) to Bihar, Mr Thakur said as part of the election campaign in the poll-bound state.
The first round of the three-phase elections concluded on Wednesday and the other two phases are on November 3 and November 7. The counting of votes will be held on November 10.
Similarly, he said the Modi government during 2014-2019 provided Bihar a historical high of Rs 2,83,452 crore as compared to Rs 1,36,845 crore during the UPA 2009-14 through Tax Devolution, an increase of about 107 per cent over the amount of funds given by the UPA to Bihar.
Nitish Kumar Supports Population-Proportionate Reservation For CastesBihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Thursday backed population-based reservation for castes, but said it can only be implemented after census data is available.
Addressing a poll rally, he also attacked the RJD over its record on law and order, and ridiculed Tejashwi Yadav's promise of 10 lakh jobs.
He repeatedly told the people that his government has worked for the development of Bihar with the cooperation of the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Shouldn't Nitish Kumar speak on issues of unemployment, migration: Tejashwi Yadav
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Friday asked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to speak on issues of unemployment and migration.
In a tweet in Hindi, Tejashwi Yadav said, "Respected Nitishji accepts that in 15 years of his government he has destroyed education, health and industries of the state. He also ruined the present and future of two generations. This is the reason why he does not speak anything about unemployment, jobs industries, investment and migration. Shouldn't he speak on these issues ?"
On October 27, Tejashwi Yadav had said that by commenting on my family, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is targeting Prime Minister Modi and moreover he can only indulge in abusing me but he won't speak on the real issues like inflation and corruption that affects people.
Stage collapses at Congress public rallies in Darbhanga, West Champaran in Bihar
Congress candidate from Jale assembly seat, Mashkoor Ahmad Usmani fell off the stage, which abruptly collapsed while he was addressing a political rally in Darbhanga on Thursday.
In another incident, at a Congress rally at Bagahi Deoraj in Champaran a stage collapsed and took down with party leaders Imran Pratapgarhi and Akhilesh Singh along with several party workers who were on the dias.
"Our Government Provided 6 Lakh Jobs In 15 Years," Says Nitish Kumar
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said that his government provided over 6 lakh jobs during its 15-year regime as compared to 95,000 people getting jobs during the RJD regime from 1990 to 2005.
"They (RJD) were in power for 15 years and Bihar and Jharkhand were one for 10 of these. Between 1990 and 2005, only 95,000 people were given jobs. In our administration, over 6 lakh jobs were given and besides this many others were enrolled in other services," Nitish Kumar said.