Patna, June 11: Chief minister Nitish Kumar and Union minister for communication and information technology Ravi Shankar Prasad engaged in some verbal duel, raising the political temperature in the state in the run-up to the Assembly elections.
"The Union ministers are visiting the state on a daily basis and speaking like bhonpu (loudspeaker). But I am not upset at all because these bhonpus will create ruckus and noise eventually irritating the people and goading them to avenge the lies being dished out by the ministers," Nitish said, lampooning the BJP ministers, while addressing the 40th foundation-laying function of Bridge Construction Corporation.
On the other hand, Prasad lashed out at the chief minister for the latter's "tendency" to betray his political partners and repent on his decisions time and again. "He (Nitish) betrayed the BJP for no reason. Then he made Jitan Ram Manjhi the CM and later repented. Now, he has befriended Lalu Prasad - a symbol of jungle raj - which he might repent too," Prasad said.
He expressed surprise that Nitish, even after four days had passed he being declared the chief ministerial candidate by Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu, has so far not organised a thanks-giving press conference.
"The protracted uncertainty over the Janata parivar merger led the JDU-RJD to ally within 24 hours. The dramatic and dubious manner in which the JDU and RJD are functioning do not augur well for the state," the BJP leader said.
As it happened, Nitish was equally vitriolic on the BJP ministers. "The Union road, transport, highway and shipping minister, Nitin Gadkari, landed here and announced that the Centre had sanctioned Rs 50,000-crore road project for Bihar on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi completing a year in office. But the fact remains that the Centre has not sanctioned even Rs 50 to the state under the road head," the CM said.
Nitish asked the Centre to specifically tell when it would release funds for Patna-Ara-Buxar, Mokama-Khagaria, Pirakoti-Motihari national highways as promised by it in its budget speech.
"In the democratic set up, political leaders can make a difference only by performing and not by bragging. Unlike them (BJP ministers), I don't brag. I believe in performance," he said.
Nitish explained why the Bihar government evinced no interest in the Centre's proposal to take over the construction of the six-lane bridge over river Ganga from Kachhi Dargah to Biddupur.
"They (Centre) had taken over the Patna-Gaya Express highway project when we were about to start work on it. But nothing has happened on the project after we handed it over to them. The Centre has the tendency to drive its nose in a project at the last minute and then sit over it. Doodh ka jala chachh phoonk kar peeta hai (once beaten twice shy)," he said.
Prasad, on the other hand, said Nitish had given the slogan Badh Chala Bihar (Bihar is marching forward), while tying knot with Lalu, whose reign was byword of rape, kidnap, anarchy and loot all around.
"Bihar was in good shape when the BJP was a party to the Nitish government. In 2012-13, the economic growth rate was 15.5 per cent, which has dropped to 8.8 per cent in 2013-14. Likewise, agriculture growth, too, has plummeted. Investment proposal in Bihar was Rs 17,452 crore during the BJP-JDU rule, which has come down to Rs 6,059 crore in 2014. Where is the development?" Prasad asked.
