Patna: Leader of opposition in the state assembly, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, on Wednesday announced that the Mahagathbandhan would provide 200 units of free electricity to consumers if it comes to power after next year’s assembly polls — a move being described as a major political gamble. AAP chief and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has already capitalised on such initiatives in the past.
Tejashwi made this announcement to voters during the third phase of his ‘Karyakarta Darshan-Sah-Samwad Yatra’, which began in Munger district on Wednesday. He had halted the yatra last month due to prominent Hindu festivals and bypolls to four assembly seats in the state, which have now concluded.
“The people of Bihar are reeling under exorbitant power tariffs and if our alliance comes to power, we will give 200 units of free power to consumers,” Tejashwi said, adding, “Bihar mein sabse mahangi bijli milti hai.” He said the Mahagathbandhan was committed to this promise, and until then, they will put pressure on the Nitish Kumar govt to implement it.
Tejashwi also mentioned that they have drawn up a road map for Bihar’s progress, which they will reveal to the public at the right moment. “We will tell the people what we will do to put Bihar on the path to progress, to make the state a developed one and to check large-scale migration,” he said, adding that he had already demonstrated this during his tenure in the former Grand Alliance govt, which lasted for 17 months.
Tejashwi criticised Nitish, saying that the latter had become “tired” and “has no vision”. “Nitish is being used only as a mask for a coterie that is pulling the strings in the state,” he alleged, claiming that mafias were flourishing under the current govt.
“Bihar enforced a total liquor ban, but the liquor mafia is still active. Also, every exam paper is getting leaked and very strangely, the paper leak mafias are linked to a particular district. Why is the govt not acting against them?” Tejashwi asked.
In this third phase of his yatra, Tejashwi is focusing on the Munger region, which is considered the stronghold of both BJP deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, as well as two Union ministers — Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh and Chirag Paswan. Lalan, who represents Munger in the Lok Sabha, earlier served as JD(U) president while LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag has represented Jamui twice in the past. Currently, this Lok Sabha seat is represented by Arun Bharti, Chirag’s brother-in-law.