Patna, Dec 4 (PTI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday showered praise on the Centre for extending cooperation to his government, and urged members of the state legislative assembly to show their gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by raising their hands.
The JD(U) supremo’s gesture came during a debate on a motion of thanks to the Governor’s joint address to members of both Houses of legislature a day ago.
Kumar, who is now enjoying a record fifth consecutive term in office, spoke at length about his government’s efforts “in the last 20 years” to bring all-round development in the state.
Towards the end of his 20-minute speech, he said, “We are receiving full cooperation from the Union government in development of the state. In the budget presented in July, 2024, the Centre extended a special financial assistance for improving roads industry, health, tourism and flood control.
“In the subsequent budget, presented in February, 2025, the Union budget proposed setting up of a Makhana Board, and financial aid for establishment of airports and the West Kosi canal project. Bihar was also given the honour of hosting, this year, the Khelo India Youth Games.” The chief minister added that “for all these things, I offer my salutations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I urge all members to do so by raising their hands”.
The PM has come to Bihar so many times for the launch of a number of projects, he said.
“The state is now tipped to progress a lot. Economy will be strengthened further. Work in all sectors will be taken forward with greater speed,” asserted Kumar.
Before taking his seat, he also chided the opposition members for not raising their hands to thank the Prime Minister.
“Why are you not doing so? For a couple of times, I aligned with you people. When you started indulging in mischief, I withdrew. Now, I am not going to leave (the NDA),” said Kumar, evoking peels of laughter from the members.
Kumar, who has been a BJP ally since the 1990s, has had two short-lived alliances with the RJD-Congress combine in the last one decade.
Later, he repeated the gesture in legislative council, of which he is himself a member, even as the opposition, led by former chief minister Rabri Devi, voiced anguish over the Chair not allowing them to speak on the motion of thanks, informing them that their proposed amendments would be treated as their submissions.
The debate in the assembly continued for nearly two hours, and ended with the government’s reply, which came from Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who holds the Home portfolio.
Choudhary, a former state BJP president, rejected the opposition’s charge that he was out to unleash “bulldozer raj” in Bihar, taking a cue from the Yogi Adityanath administration in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.
“Bihar is known for ‘sushashan’ (good govenance), which has been synonymous with Nitish Kumar. Bulldozer is not an issue here. My name is Samrat Choudhary and rest assured, I do not stand for bulldozer. Of course, there is crackdown on illegal encroachments, which is as per instructions of the court. Crackdwon on mafia will also continue,” he said.
The submission came close on the heels of anti-encroachment drives in several parts of the state, which had on Wednesday led CPI(ML) Liberation to stage a dharna alleging that the BJP, which is the single-largest party in the Bihar assembly, was bringing Yogi’s “bulldozer model” to the state.
Choudhary’s apparently conciliatory note came minutes after fellow Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha had engaged in a spat with members of the RJD, the main party in the opposition, accusing it of “jungle raj” while in power.
“We will soon run bulldozers on the chest of those who have been patronising sand mafia, land mafia and liquor mafia,” Sinha asserted.
The debate in the assembly also saw acerbic exchanges on the “fairness” of the recently held assembly elections.
State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, while taking part in the debate, said “Some of the opposition members have vented spleen against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Their false narrative of vote theft notwithstanding, the CEC’s fame has now reached far off lands. He now heads an international panel.” The allusion was to Gyanesh Kumar becoming the Chairman of Sweden-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IIDEA). PTI NAC RBT
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