Not migrant, you are Delhi resident: Nitish woos Bihari voters

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today played up the Bihari pride and identity card as he tried to woo Purvanchali voters ahead of the MCD polls saying they are not migrants to Delhi but are residents here.
Lakhs of people from Bihar come to Delhi in search of jobs and they earn their livelhiood through hard work, he said addressing an election rally at south Delhi's Badarpur.
"They work hard to earn their livelihood, they do not beg. Still people say they are migrants. They are not migrants, they are residents of Delhi," Kumar said.
The influence of Biharis has grown in the country as work done by his government in Bihar have been acknowledged, he said.

"Earlier, they used to hide their identity and felt subdued but now they claim to be from Bihar with pride as the government of Bihar has been recognised through its work," he said addressing the gathering dominated by people from Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Kumar said the Bihar government was working with the motto of "development with justice" for all sections of society and is "least bothered" about advertisements and media hype.

"We believe in work, while some people just talk. We do not believe in advertisements and media hype for our work to be acknowledged. When the work has its impact it is appreciated automatically," he said without naming any party.

Highlighting "poor" civic conditions in parts of Delhi, he said the party (BJP) ruling MCD is responsible for it and hit out at the Centre for "neglect" of the national capital.
"They talk about smart cities but let us ask them to at least make Delhi smart. Condition of most of the roads is very bad. I saw lack of proper drainage, sewage, and heaps of garbage in colonies," he said as he cited his government's project on developing drains, streets, and providing water and electricity supply to each house in Bihar.
Kumar said JD(U) candidates will work with same spirit as his government is working in Bihar and asked people to vote for them.

"They understand your pain, they will work as we have been working in Bihar. Do not get misguided by those who are talking on non-issues," he said.
Kumar batted for complete statehood to Delhi for better administration and improved law and order.
"Delhi tops the list in number of crimes but the subject (Police) comes under the Centre's jurisdiction. If Delhi had full statehood, the local government would be responsible for it," he said.
Elaborating on the effects of liquor ban in Bihar, Kumar said it should be imposed in Delhi and the whole of country.
The Bihar CM also expressed concern over reprots that liquor shops closed on national highways after Supreme Court order were being shifted inside cities.

Kumar also cited his government's schemes of providing school uniforms and bicycles to girls and 50 per cent reservation to women in panchayats.
"Some people talk about development in terms of double- digit GDP but we believe that unless everyone is benefited it can not be development," he said.
On "unauthorised" colonies, where a large chunk of Purvanchalis live, Kumar said the colonies should be regularised and provided with necessary civic facilities.
"People come to Delhi for job. Where will they live, if they have been living in these so-called unauthorised colonies then it should be regularised and provided with basic facilities," he said.