Patna
Deviating from the usual practice of coming up a party manifesto, the Nitish Kumar-led JDU released its second set of promises under the name ‘Seven Resolves Phase II’ on Sunday, ahead of the Bihar assembly polls. The resolutions focus on women and the youth.
The party has promised to make the state self-reliant by developing the skills of the youths and brighten their job prospects. It talks of development of entrepreneurship among women by providing them financial assistance.
For farmers, the paper assures irrigation facility to every agricultural field and additional health for animals and people.
Nitish Kumar has promised 50% grants up to Rs 3 lakh for setting up new businesses and loans up to Rs 7 lakh. Every district will have a mega skill development centre and youths would be trained in skills like repairing refrigerator, fans, air conditioners and solar panels, the party said.
Nitish’s party has promised Rs 25000 for every girl clearing the intermediate examinations and Rs 50000 after the female students complete their graduation. There will be reservations for women in government jobs, police stations and revenue offices.
In the first phase of ‘Seven Resolves’ (2015-20), the emphasis was on improving basic facilities including drinking water and drains, construction of toilets, electricity connection, pucca roads and transport facilities for villages.
Nadda visits Hanuman temple, kicks off NDA’s poll campaign
Patna: BJP president JP Nadda launched the NDA’s Bihar campaign on Sunday by addressing party workers at Gandhi Maidan in Gaya, 100 km from Patna. He started the day by offering prayers at the ancient Mahabir Temple near Patna junction, a shrine that he said he used to visit during his student days.
Nadda sought the blessings of Phalabari baba, a Dalit priest, at the temple for the success of the National Democratic Alliance. Later, he visited Mahila Charkha Samiti at Kadamkuan, in the heart of the state capital, and offered a wreath on the statue of Jayaprakash Narayan.
Sunday was also the birth anniversary of JP. The BJP president recalled the contributions of JP and Nanaji Deshmukh, then Jana Sangh general secretary who quit active politics at the age of 61. Incidentally, it was Nanaji's birthday too.
Leaders of NDA constituents – former chief minister Jeetan Ram Manjhi of HAM(S) and R C P Sinha of JDU – were also present at Gandhi Maidan.
While he invoked the teachings of JP and Nanaji and indirectly slammed RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav for “working against them”, Nadda recalled the Rs 1.25 lakh-crore package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 for Bihar. He claimed all the promises made in the package had been fulfilled. “The state developed faster because of the package which was meant for all sectors. As against four medical colleges in 2015, the state has now 14 medical colleges with the help of central funds,” he said, adding, the state got highways to new railway lines due to the special package promised by PM.
Source said CM Nitish Kumar and PM Modi will meet soon. Irrigation minister and senior JDU leader Sanjay Kumar Jha the CMO and PMO are coordinating for the meeting.
BJP retains MLAs for Patna
All the BJP legislators in Patna district have been retained in its list of 46 candidates released by the party on Sunday. In Bhagalpur, Arjit Sarswat, son of the union minister Ashwini Kumar Chaubey, has been denied renomination and replaced by district BJP president Rohit Pandey.
Here’s a lowdown on the ticket distribution.
Shahnawaz, Rudy dropped as star campaigners
Prime Minister and top crowd-puller Narendra Modi tops the BJP's list of 30 star campaigners for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections that is now out. Only two women figure on the list, which has no mention of Syed Shahnawaz Hussain or Rajiv Pratap Rudy.
BJP’s Gorkahpur MP and Bhojpuri film star Ravi Kishan’s name is also missing from the list.
Congress forms committees; Surjewala to head key team
New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday formed six panels for the upcoming Bihar assembly poll with party general secretary Randeep Surjewala being named chairman of the key election management and coordination committee. Mohan Prakash was made the convener of the 14-member election management and coordination committee. The panel includes senior leaders like Meira Kumar, Tariq Anwar, Shatrughan Sinha, Kirti Azad, Shakeel Ahmed, Subodh Kant Sahay and Sanjay Nirupam. Congress president Sonia Gandhi also approved the setting up of the publicity committee, media coordination committee, public meeting and logistics committee, legal committee and office management committee for the Bihar elections, a party statement said.
