Nitish Kumar rebuffs PM's criticism of Bihar Govt.

Patna, Oct.17 (ANI): Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar has downplayed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remark that the Bihar government was not implementing the central welfare schemes.

Addressing a press conference jointly addressed with senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley here, Nitish said: "I want to rectify the statement of Dr. Manmohan Singh by addressing him. Mr. Prime Minister, (Bihar) has been receiving rupees 1,000 crore (10 billion) not since 2004 but since 2002. It was not decided by UPA (United Progressive Alliance) but by the NDA (the previous National Democratic Alliance government). It is due to the Bihar Reorganisation Bill."

"When the NDA came to power, the growth rate of Bihar was in negative. Any economist will express satisfaction for changing the negative growth rate to 11.5 percent growth rate," Arun Jaitley added as he was also present on this occasion with Nitish.

Nitish further stated that the Prime Minister Dr. Singh had not given him an appointment to discuss issues concerning the state for last five years.

"We (the government) have been inviting the honourable Prime Minister for five years but he did not have time. We asked for appointment for an all party delegation in 2006 to submit the demand of special status for Bihar. But he has not given time since then," said Nitish Kumar.

The State chief also alleged that whenever the Congress party came to power it caused price rise, attacked democratic institutions, traditions and central structure.

"It is people's experience that whenever it (Congress) comes to power it does two things. First, it raises the price of commodities and secondly, it attacks democratic institutions, democratic traditions and federal structure, whenever it gets powerful. It is ingrained in Congress' leadership," said Nitish Kumar.

It may be recalled that earlier on Saturday, while addressing an election campaign rally in Araria district of Bihar, Dr. Manmohan Singh had accused the state government of not utilising the outlay of development and allied packages extended by the Central government.

The ruling Janata Dal (United) and Bharatiya Janata Party are going to contest the upcoming State elections as alliance partners, and they are expected to face a challenge from Congress party and Rashtriya Janata Dal. (ANI)