Nitish govt "totally failed" in giving flood relief: BJP

New Delhi, Sept 1: BJP today accused the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar of "total failure" in providing relief to flood victims, alleging that they were not getting food and medicine leading to a rise in death toll.

The party fielded Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy and its spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain to launch a counter-attack on the state's ruling JD(U)-RJD alliace, which has accused Union ministers hailing from Bihar, of doing little to get central help to the flood-hit region.

The state administration is suffering due to the "battle of oneupmanship" between Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad, they said, alleging that "two" chief ministers are ruling the state.

"Bihar has faced more severe floods in the past. But the kind of crisis people are facing this time has cause terrible anger among the masses. The state government has been a total failure," Rudy said, claiming there were few boats to rescue the people and lack of medicine was causing deaths.

Hussain also attacked Kumar for blaming Farakka barrage for the floods and said if he was sincere, then he should have taken up the matter with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee before taking up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"He has given an opinion without any scientific study. The fact is all gates of the barrage are open this time, so it is not appropriate to link floods with it," he said.

The Centre had rushed NDRF teams but for whom the death toll, currently at 168, would have been much higher, Rudy said.

"There is no shortage of funds. But there is no arrangement in the state," he said.

Hussain said the attack by the ruling alliance leaders on Union ministers over allegations, including that one of them ate food meant for the flood affected, showed their petty- mindedness.

"To stop others from going to Bihar is not only disgraceful but also inhuman. It also amounts to questioning the constitutional scheme of things," Rudy said.

PTI