Tejashwi promises gas cylinders for Rs 500; calls on Biharis to drive out government controlled by 'baahari'
The INDIA bloc's chief ministerial candidate and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, on Wednesday, promised that cooking gas cylinders would be made available for Rs 500 if the opposition alliance came to power in Bihar.
Speaking at a rally in Muzaffarpur, where he shared the stage with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi said, "Gas cylinders will be available for Rs 500 if Tejashwi forms the next government."
Taking a jibe at the Nitish Kumar led NDA government, Tejashwi reiterated his allegation that the JDU leader is being made a puppet by the BJP, which has been running the state "through remote control."
"But, we Biharis must drive out the government which is being controlled by outsiders (baahari), who seek votes in Bihar but care for setting up factories only in Gujarat," he said.
The RJD leader, who has been campaigning in a T-shirt, in an obvious bid to underscore his youthful appeal, in contrast with CM Kumar, who is in his mid-70s, also made the crowds chant slogans in favour of 'yuva ki sarkaar.'
"We will make a new Bihar. We will not allow people to spread communal hatred in the state," he asserted.
Tejashwi also claimed that the slew of populist measures taken in the recent past by the NDA government in the state had been a "copy" of whatever he had promised earlier.
Citing an example, Yadav said, "We had promised 200 units of free electricity. Those in power got scared that this would resonate with voters. So, they made 125 units free."
The RJD leader also sought to draw a contrast between his women-centric promises like 'Mai Bahin Yojana', which proposes a monthly stipend of Rs 2,500, and the 'Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana' recently launched by the Nitish Kumar government, as part of which Rs 10,000 have been transferred into accounts of over 1 crore women.
"We are promising assistance. What the government has offered is money given on credit, which they will seek to recover with interest," claimed Yadav.
The RJD leader's posturing may be seen as an attempt to wean away a section of women voters of the state, who have been said to be more inclined towards the NDA.
He also reiterated his promise of ensuring that one member of each household in the state had a government job, saying people's aspirations were set to soar, like a ball "hit for a six."
"Naukri milega pakka. Ummedon kaa lagega chhakka," said Yadav, evoking wild applause from the crowds.
Apparently mindful of the taints of corruption on his family and allegations of 'jungle raj' levelled by the NDA on the RJD rule, Yadav vowed to adopt an uncompromising stance on the two scourges.
(With inputs from PTI)
