Bihar: Tejashwi Yadav releases manifesto; hits at BJP's employment promise
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday released the party's poll manifesto, days before voting for the Bihar Assembly election is scheduled to commence. Yadav, who is the Chief Ministerial candidate of the Mahagathbandhan alliance, reiterated his promise of providing 10 lakh jobs and better health infrastructure. He also took a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) election promise for employment.
Promise of 10 lakh jobs genuine, unlike BJP: Yadav
While releasing the poll manifesto, Yadav stressed that the party's promise of 10 lakh jobs is genuine. Yadav said Bihar needs to compete with the national employment average. "We could also have promised 50 lakh jobs, or one crore jobs, like the BJP or the double engine government," Yadav said, inflating the BJP's poll promise of 19 lakh jobs in Bihar.
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Earlier, BJP-JD(U) had criticized RJD's employment promise
The RJD's promise of 10 lakh jobs had invited criticism from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is the CM candidate for the 2020 polls for the Janata Dal (United)-BJP alliance. Kumar had said, "Why only 10 lakh? If you're giving jobs, then give jobs to everyone." Kumar had also said that the promise was an impossible one, citing financial constraints for the state budget.
BJP-backed CM candidate Nitish Kumar said 10 lakh jobs impossible
"Where will you get the money to pay the salaries? From the same scam for which you are in jail? Or will you print fake money?" the CM had said, in an apparent reference to Yadav's father, former CM Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is currently behind bars over a corruption scandal. However, Kumar's remarks seem to have backfired.
'If 10 lakh jobs are impossible, how will BJP pay?'
Responding to Kumar, Yadav asked Saturday how the BJP intended to find the funds for its employment promise. "Who is the BJP's CM candidate? Nitish Kumar. He had given up when it came to the promise of 10 lakh jobs asking, 'Where is the money?' Well, then how does the BJP intend to pay (for its promised 19 lakh jobs)?"
Elections to be held in phases; result on November 10
The Bihar elections will be held in three phases. The first phase will be held on October 28 across 71 constituencies. The second phase for 94 constituencies will be held on November 3, followed by the third phase for 78 constituencies on November 7. The poll results will be declared on November 10. Bihar has 72 million registered voters, according to the Election Commission.
