Business Standard

Bihar package: "tottering" UPA govt trying to survive: BJP

Image

Press Trust of India New Delhi
With the Centre reportedly preparing a special package to Bihar, BJP today alleged UPA government was resorting to such tactics to survive as it is "on the verge of total collapse" and expressed confidence that its ally JD(U) will not go away from NDA because of this.

Accusing the UPA government of discriminating against states where BJP is in power, its spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy said Bihar deserves a package of Rs 68,000 crore as it is deprived of resources.

"Union government is in a critical state and is possibly playing the Bihar card," Rudy said at a press conference here.
 

"The Manmohan Singh government is tottering and is on the verge of a total collapse. Whatever efforts it may make, I don't think it is going to survive for long," he said.

His comments came in the wake of government's plans to give a special package to Bihar ruled by JD(U)-BJP combine.

Replying to questions, Rudy insisted if the government has any design of weaning away JD-U, it is not going to succeed.

"There is no reason to suspect JD-U...We will form the next government in New Delhi and Nitish Kumar will be with us," he said.

Asked if BJP fears Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may walk out of NDA due to overtures from Congress, Rudy said the issue does not arise.

"In Bihar, there is a strong BJP-JD(U) government. We are preparing for the Lok Sabha elections... Irrespective of what the central government thinks, Bihar deserves (financial) support and it should not be based on politics," he said.

Kumar has kept BJP on the edge about his plans for 2014 polls.

At a public rally here over a week back, Kumar had pledged he would support whoever meets his demand for declaring Bihar as "backward" and gives a special package.

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: Mar 26 2013 | 8:55 PM IST

Explore News