PATNA: Sharing the stage with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar for the first time after the JD(U) allied with the BJP in July, PM Narendra Modi Saturday lavishly praised the JD(U) leader while laying
foundation stones for highway and water treatment plant projects worth Rs 3,700 crore at Mokama, calling them his Diwali gifts to Bihar.
Kumar, who was until four months back widely considered the main challenger to Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, was all smiles as he interacted with the PM on stage in Patna and Mokama. All
possibilities of Kumar becoming the prime ministerial candidate of a united opposition coalition ended when he dramatically walked out of the JD(U)-RJD-Congress coalition on July 26 and formed the Bihar government again with the BJP after a gap of four years.
Modi referred to Kumar as "Bihar's popular chief minister" both at the Patna University centenary celebrations and at Mokama. "Nitishjee's commitment to Bihar is commendable," said Modi as he promised to provide Bihar all help to ensure the state's rapid development. "I thank Nitishji as he has cooperated in implementing all our central schemes well," added the PM.
"Bihar has the blessings of Goddess Saraswati, but the central government plans to make Goddess Saraswati meet Goddess Lakshmi in the state. That will ensure that Bihar joins the developed states by
2022, when India celebrates the 75th year of Independence," said Modi.
The PM, who also made a brief visit to the newly constructed Bihar Museum with Kumar, laid the foundation stone for four national highway projects and as many sewage treatmet plants under the Namami Gange Programme and other related schemes worth Rs 3,700 crore. Union road transport, highways and shipping minister Nitin Gadkari, who accompanied Modi along with a galaxy of other ministers, said the projects would be completed on time.
Nitish Kumar urged the PM to sanction more road projects and bridges in Bihar and direct road connectivity between Buxar in Bihar and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. He extended the state government's
total support for acquisition of land for the projects.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav stayed off the Patna University function despite being invited and later slammed Modi and Nitish. Yadav, who was elected general secretary of Patna University Students Union
in 1970 and became its president in 1973 before entering mainstream politics, was invited as a distinguished alumnus. But the invitation card was delivered at his Patna residence only Friday while he was in Delhi.
"I did not get their invitation. Even if I had got, I would not have attended the programme to sit with them (Modi and Nitish)," said Yadav upon his return to Patna. "Folding hands before the PM, Bihar
CM palturam (habitual turncoat) asked central varsity status for Patna University, but the PM snubbed him and fooled Bihar's people. Nitish should be ashamed," said Yadav.
Two top BJP leaders - former finance minister Yashwant Sinha and actor-turned-politician and MP Shatrughan Sinha, both alumni of PU - also skipped the PM's programme.