RLSP national president Upendra Kushwaha reiterated what his ministerial boss Smriti Irani claimed in a meeting at a different venue.
Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, a BJP ally, on Sunday launched its election campaign in the state making a frontal attack on the JDU government for "neglecting farmers and the youth" and "bringing back Jungle Raj by joining hands with the RJD".
With nearly six months left for the Assembly elections, the RLSP organised a Kisaan-Naujawan rally at Gandhi Maidan.
Addressing a modest crowd of 25,000 followers, the RLSP leaders said the coming election in Bihar would be fought on the issue of farmers and youths and chief minister Nitish Kumar would have to pay a price for neglecting the kissan and naujawan (farmers and youths).
Kushwaha, who is the Union minister of state for human resource development (HRD), addressed the crowd at the same time when his boss Union HRD minister Smriti Irani was addressing BJP's Mahila Maha Sammelan at SK Memorial Hall.
He justified the NDA's decision to re-promulgate the ordinance on Land Acquisition Act after it failed to get the approval of the Rajya Sabha.
Raising the farmers' issue, Kushwaha asked: "What concrete steps has the Nitish Kumar government taken in the past 10 years for the betterment of farmers?"
Seeking explanation from Nitish on the work carried out under the agriculture cabinet and agriculture roadmap launched by the state government in 2012 to address the issue of farmers, Kushwaha stated that around 18 out of the total 28 sugar mills in the state are closed. "There is tremendous corruption in paddy procurement," he said.
Targeting the youths, the RLSP chief raised issues of unemployment, deteriorating school education system, and contract teachers.
Kushwaha said: "Because of faulty government policies, the education sector in the state is on the verge of collapse. The government, to hide its failure, is punishing the teachers appointed on contract."
Kushwaha's statement supporting contract teachers assumes importance as the state has decided to terminate the services of around 2,500 contract teachers, who have failed to clear competency examination. The rally was addressed by senior leaders, including Jehanabad MP and state RLSP president Arun Kumar, Sitamarhi MP Ram Kumar Sharma and others.
Sources said the RLSP through its rally wanted to show its strength both to its opponent (RJD and JDU) and its allies the BJP and the LJP. The timing of the RLSP rally assumes importance, as BJP would be holding its mega workers' meet on April 14. BJP national president Amit Shah and Union home minister Rajnath Singh would attend it.
Last month, the LJP had organised its workers' meet at SK Memorial Hall. However, Kushwaha claimed that whether there is Gathbandhan or Maha Gathbandhan, there would be no effect on the health of NDA.
