Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced a stupendous Rs 1.25 lakh crore economic package for poll-bound Bihar, raising the stakes in the high-pitched electoral battle, a must-win for BJP after its Delhi decimation.
Conveying a sense of urgency, Modi addressed two election rallies in the key Hindi heartland state, barely hours after his arrival from a two-day visit to the UAE, and unleashed a scathing attack on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, contending he lowered Bihar's prestige by pleading with the previous UPA governments for a package of a measly Rs 12,000 crore.
Modi also took on Kumar over Bihar's 'BIMARU' tag.
But the high point of the Prime Minister's speech was announcement of the much-awaited economic package of a whopping Rs 1.25 lakh crore, a contentious issue over which he was repeatedly targeted by Kumar ever since he made the promise while stumping during last year's Lok Sabha elections.
"I am here today to honour my promise. I had said Rs 50,000 crore...How much do you want? Rs 60,000 crore, Rs 70,000 crore, or 80 or 90,0000 crore? I am announcing a package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore. The government in Delhi will spend Rs 1.25 lakh crore to change Bihar's destiny," he said as an enthusiastic crowd lustily cheered him, chanting "Modi! Modi!".
He said the package, whose details he did not disclose, will be in addition to the ongoing development projects worth over Rs 40,000 crore already being funded by the Centre.
Devoid of a leader with pan-Bihar mass appeal, BJP-led NDA has chosen to bank on Modi's charisma to wrest Bihar from JD(U), which has been in power for the last one decade, part of it in alliance with the the saffron party.
An economic package for the backward state has always been a key issue during the polls and state's BJP leaders were banking on the announcement, hoping to reap a rich electoral harvest.
Addressing the 'Parivartan Rally' at Arrah, his third in Bihar in less than a month, Modi joined issue with Kumar over Bihar's BIMARU (laggard) tag. The Chief Minister had rebutted Modi's claim made at a rally in Gaya earlier this month that Bihar was still laggard and said the state's performance on social indices like education and healthcare reflected otherwise.
