In yet another trip to poll-bound Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a massive Rs 1.65 lakh crore package for the state, sparking sharp reactions from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, among others.
Barely hours after his arrival from UAE, the Prime Minister addressed a gathering in Arrah where he announced the economic package, raising the stakes in the high-pitched electoral battle.
"I am here today to honour my promise. I had said Rs 50,000 crore...how much do you want? Rs 60,000 crore, Rs 70,000 crore, or 80 or 90,0000 crore? I am announcing a package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore. The government in Delhi will spend Rs 1.25 lakh crore to change Bihar's destiny," Modi had said.
Modi also used the occasion to attack Nitish Kumar, saying even he got the invite for the event but could not attend the same as he had "politics to look into".
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader also targeted Kumar over his 'bimaru rajya' remark, saying, "I welcome the fact that Bihar is not a bimaru state. But still the government keeps asking for something or the other."
Amid high-stakes Assembly elections, the BJP is banking heavily on the Centre's development package to wrest power from Kumar, its one time ally-turned-rival, who has now joined hands with Lalu Prasad's RJD to take on the saffron combine.
Later, addressing a poll rally in Saharsa, the Prime Minister raked up JP movement and Emergency to target the alliance between JDU, RJD and Congress, Modi said that "it was the Congress that had jailed Jayaprakash Narayan".
Hitting back at the Prime Minister later on Tuesday, Nitish said Modi talks of co-operative federalism but behaves just the opposite by insulting states. "Instead of patting on our back for the development in Bihar, the PM is making mockery of us," he said.
"At times I wonder where he gets his facts from," said the Bihar Chief Minister.
Talking about Modi's Bihar package, Nitish said, "It seemed PM Modi was bidding for Bihar while announcing package for the state. Special assistance is Bihar's right and not a favour."
Meanwhile, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi also questioned the package announced by the Prime Minister, saying he would keep announcing grants for poll-bound states, but nothing will come out of it at the end.
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