BJP today attacked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for doing “politics of package” for the past two years and also slammed him for not conveying his appreciation in light of the special package announced for the state by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The ruling party at the Centre also took a dig at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for siding with Nitish and standing next to Lalu Prasad, saying this was the new facet of the man who has claimed to be the sole crusader against corruption.
“Nitish Kumar has not even a word of thanks, leave aside complimenting Narendra Modiji for his efforts,” said Union Minister and senior BJP leader, Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Prasad charged that Nitish, the JD(U) chief minister, did not have any interest in Bihar’s development or progress and was only doing “politics of package” for the last two years.
“Nitish, along with Lalu Prasad, is doing the politics of package, not development,” he said.
The minister said that while Bihar’s total plan expenditure for 2014-15 was Rs 54,000 crore, the package provided for the state was to the tune of Rs 1.25 lakh crore besides the Rs 40,000 crore earmarked for ongoing projects.
Prasad said that Nitish had wooed former finance minister P Chidambaram during the previous UPA government and received only Rs 12,000 crore. However, Nitish did not criticise the previous Congress-led government at the Centre, the BJP leader said as he lamented that the Bihar chief minister has been criticising the NDA package and not one word of appreciation had come from him.
“Even after getting peanuts (to the tune of) Rs 12,000 crore, Nitish did not criticise it (UPA regime). Today, the government has announced Rs 1.25 lakh crore for Bihar’s development, and he is still criticising it, leave aside any praise,” he said.
Referring to Kejriwal agreeing to visit Bihar for campaigning, Prasad said that the person who had claimed to be the sole crusader against corruption was now supporting someone who is allied with Lalu Prasad, the RJD leader convicted in one case of corruption and facing another notice from Supreme Court.
“It is good that we will come to see the new facet of Kejriwal, who claims to be the sole crusader against corruption,” he said.