Bihar at the bottom: Tejashwi slams PM's visit, accuses govt of betrayal

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bihar today, Rashtriya Janta Dal Leader Tejashwi Yadav Tejashwi Yadav raised a voice of dissent, calling out the Central and state government for its failure to deliver on promises made to the state.

Speaking to ANI, he noted that there will be no other elections in Bihar this year, pointing to the already concluded Delhi elections.

"There is an election in Bihar, and this is the only election that will be held in Bihar this year. The elections in Delhi have already concluded. We had said earlier that everyone will go to Bihar, and people will flock to Bihar," he said.

Yadav emphasised that despite Bihar having provided a "double-engine government" for two decades, the state remains at the bottom of several key development indices.

"But Bihar gave these people a chance to run the double-engine government for 20 years. Narendra Modi has been the Prime Minister for 11 years at the center, and Nitish Kumar has been the Chief Minister of Bihar for 20 years," he remarked, pointing out that Bihar ranks poorly in terms of per capita income, investment, and farmer income.

"Bihar is at the bottom. Bihar ranks lowest in per capita income and investment. Bihar ranks lowest in farmer income, and Bihar is number one in unemployment, migration, and poverty," Yadav added.

While acknowledging that the Prime Minister's visits to Bihar were frequent during election times, Yadav accused Modi of using empty slogans and failing to address the state's real concerns.

"It's good when the Prime Minister comes, but when he comes, he only speaks in slogans and tricks the people of Bihar," he said.

He recalled Modi's promises to revive sugar mills in Champaran and other districts, a commitment that was never fulfilled.

"What happened? Do you understand the issues faced by Bihar's farmers?" he asked, highlighting the severity of problems like sharecropping exacerbating farmer struggles.

"The farmers are dying in Bihar, and nothing has been done for them. They promised to double the income of farmers by 2022, but forget doubling, farmers are being crushed by inflation," Yadav said. He also accused the Prime Minister of betraying Bihar in the budget.

The Bihar Legislative Assembly election for all 243 constituencies is scheduled to be held in October or November this year. The last assembly elections were held in October-November 2020.