The Congress criticised NDA leaders for “not allowing” Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to speak on the occasion of the release of the ruling coalition’s manifesto on Friday.
Senior Congress leader, Ashok Gehlot, said the NDA’s manifesto release for the upcoming state assembly polls was a hurried affair that lasted only “26 seconds”, with Kumar not being allowed to address the gathering, which was “an insult to Bihar and Biharis”.
The Congress leader said the NDA leaders were afraid of facing questions from journalists about their 20-year rule, which is why the manifesto release programme was over in less than a minute.
CM Nitish Kumar, his deputy Samrat Choudhary, BJP president JP Nadda, Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Chirag Paswan and other leaders of alliance partners released the NDA’s manifesto and then left the venue, leaving only the deputy CM to answer a few questions from journalists.
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An announcement was made from the dais that the leaders had to leave as they had poll-related engagements.
“The NDA leaders came to the press conference which lasted merely 26 seconds. They were afraid to face questions from journalists on the manifesto, as well as on their governance,” Gehlot said.
The CM, who was “not allowed” to speak at the release of the manifesto, was perhaps “not in a position” to speak about it, Gehlot opined.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, who was also present at Gehlot’s press meet, further added: “Nitish Kumar was not allowed to speak on the manifesto. It was disrespect for Bihar and Biharis.”
In the manifesto, the NDA promised jobs to one crore youth, making of one crore ‘Lakhpathi Didi’, metro train services in four more cities and seven international airports in the state. Seven expressways, 10 industrial parks, free quality education from KG to PG and ₹2000 aid per month for SC students pursuing higher education are some of the other features of the manifesto.
“The NDA’s manifesto is a string of lies. We will highlight this in our public rallies, and demand a report card of the 20 years of NDA rule,” Gehlot said.
The NDA leaders should have begun their press conference with the report card, he added.
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