Journalism of Courage
If attacking political opponents was the focus of his July 25 rally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today flashed his development card before the voters in poll-bound Bihar in an attempt to silence his arch rival and state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who has repeatedly questioned the BJP-led NDA government’s potential to provide financial assistance to the state.
Addressing a rally in Arrah, Bihar, Modi who just returned from his two day UAE visit, announced a package of Rs. 1.25 lakh crore for Bihar, which according to him, would “change the fate of Bihar.” The package will be BJP-led NDA’s biggest weapon against its opponent, the JD(U)-RJD-Congress alliance and the strongest tool for its own campaign in the state.
CM Nitish Kumar, who has taken many swipes on Modi for not announcing financial aid for Bihar, will now find it difficult to counter the Modi’s package. Kumar, considered an able administrator who had taken many development initiatives in the state, seemed to have sensed the danger ahead of the rally. He has said, “it’s a clear-cut violation of cooperative federalism that the state government has been kept in the dark, while BJP leaders are making statements about the PM’s special package for the state.”
However, Modi today countered Nitish’s attack in delaying the package. He said he could not announce any package for the state during his last visit to the state because Parliament was in session. “ I am here to fulfill my promise. I had promised before Lok Sabha polls a special package worth over Rs 50,000 crores,” he said.
According to an official release, a major chunk of the funds would be for highway and road building projects. The funds specified for projects under petroleum and natural gas and the power ministries would be BJP’s message for the jobless youth in Bihar.
By comparing the financial packages provided by the previous UPA government with the NDA governments, Modi tried to assert that it is the BJP that wants and works for the development of the state .
Modi’s move also will denies Nitish the credit for fighting and getting central funds for the poor state. The Prime Minister’s announcement at Arrah, where Bhumiyar’s have a strong influence, is also expected to consolidate the upper caste votes for the BJP in the region.
Having played his ‘package politics’, expect Modi to attack the opposition at his Saharsa rally this afternoon.
