NDA to win with three-fourth majority in Bihar; Nitish to become CM again: Javadekar

Patna, Oct 27: Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday exuded confidence that the NDA will win the Bihar assembly polls with three-fourth majority and Nitish Kumar will helm the government for the fourth term.

Javadekar, who is Union minister for Information and Broadcasting, said the NDA will win in Bihar as all its four constituents - the BJP, JD(U), Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP)- are a formidable force in the state.

He said the ruling coalition will return to power in the state due to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the national level and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at the state level.

"NDAs win will become evident from the first phase of voting on Wednesday", the senior BJP leader claimed.

Asked to comment on LJP chief Chirag Paswan's assertion that Kumar will be sent to jail on charge of corruption if his party comes to power in the state, Javadekar said "Everyone has the opportunity to contest and campaign in elections. But, it will not have any impact (on people) irrespective of who is saying what."

LJP, which has quit the NDA in Bihar is bent on dislodging Kumar from power.

Javadekar praised Modi for carrying out "development-based politics" in the country instead of the traditional caste and community based politics.

BJP has not only executed the promises it made but has also given account of its work to the people, he said, adding it is their faith and trust which has brought the party to its present height.

Recounting former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's statement that only 15 paise of a rupee spent by the government on development reach the poor, Javadekar said that the scenario has changed totally under the NDA and the beneficiaries get the entire amount meant for them now due to Modis efforts to open 40 crore Jan Dhan accounts in a span of 40 months.

The Jan Dhan accounts have brought about a "new revolution", he said adding the BJP believes in empowering the poor by imparting education to them, developing their skills and providing facilities to them like toilets, health insurance and LPG connection.

Referring to Bihar, Javadekar said that several schemes under the Rs 1.25 lakh crore special package have either been completed or are underway.

Bihar was given Rs 1.36 lakh crore as its share in the central taxes during the UPA regime between 2009-14, but the devolution increased to a whopping Rs 2.83 lakh crore during the NDA regime, he said.

Eighty lakh women have been given free LPG cylinders during the coronavirus pandemic, he said.

Four crore Jan Dhan accounts were opened in the state apart from the EPFO benefit to 2.37 lakh employees, he said adding that 60 lakh farmers from the state got Rs 2000 as special assistance.

The Congress-led UPA government had waived farm loans totalling Rs 52,000 crore, while the NDA government will be giving Rs seven lakh crore to the farmers of the country in 10 years at the rate of Rs 6,000 per annum to each of them, Javadekar said.