BJP's dream of forming govt in UP won't be fulfilled: Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said BJP's dream of forming the government in Uttar Pradesh after the next Assembly election will remain unfulfilled as the party's graph was on the downslide in the state.
"BJP had won 71 of the total 80 parliamentary seats in the last general election, but its popularity has been fading since then," Kumar, who was here to take part in a programme, told reporters.
"Their (BJP's) dream to form a government after the Assembly polls will not be fulfilled," he claimed.
Asked about the proposed grand alliance of Opposition parties, Kumar said he has been trying to bring them under a platform to defeat the BJP.

"Whichever party is willing to see Sangh-mukt (free of the Sangh Parivar) should come under a folder, at least maximum unity if not all, to achieve the goal," he said.
Kumar, a former Railways Minister, also criticised the flexi fare policy in selected trains and described it as a "farce".

"Railways is a symbol of national integration and preferable mode of conveyance. Implementation of such a policy will be an injustice with the common man," the former Railway Minister said.
The programme focuses on providing free power connection
to 50 lakh households above the poverty line who are still deprived of power.

Below Poverty Line (BPL) families are already covered in the rural electrification programme, Kumar said.
The CM made it clear that the government would provide free electricity connection and not free power.
Beneficiaries will have to pay for the power consumed by them, the chief minister said.
Bihar has been improving on power front and according to the latest data the state has daily 3362 MW of power supply.
Accompanied by ministers Awdesh Kumar Singh and Ram Vichar Rai, Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh and state police chief P K Thakur, Kumar talked about prohibition and urged the women in particular to stand guard against those illegally indulging in liquor trade and consumption.