Bihar's Development Surge: Why Voters Want NDA Government Again

Speaking to IANS, Anurag Thakur stated, "Bihar has gained momentum, and the people want the NDA government again. Everyone acknowledges that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and other NDA leaders have worked tirelessly for the development of Bihar's youth and people."

Drawing a comparison between the RJD's previous tenure and the current NDA administration, Thakur said, "During the RJD government, the development rate was only 4.4 per cent. Today, it has risen to 9.9 per cent. The per capita income has also increased significantly. Earlier, roads were in poor condition, but today Bihar has four-lane highways and road connectivity to almost every village. There are now three new airports, along with several new engineering and medical colleges. These are clear examples of the development achieved under the NDA government."

Responding to announcements made by Opposition leaders ahead of the elections, Thakur criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for what he described as misleading promises. Tejashwi Yadav had recently announced that, if elected, his government would provide Rs 30,000 as financial assistance to women under the Mai Bahin Maan Yojana on Makar Sankranti, aiming to support women economically.

Anurag Thakur said, "It is clear that Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav are making big promises, but at the same time, they are opposing the Rs 10,000 assistance meant for women's empowerment. Do they not respect the self-reliance and dignity of Bihar's women? Congress and RJD have openly objected to this initiative. I appeal to the women and mothers of Bihar not to vote for Lalu Prasad Yadav's party, which represents the era of 'Jungle Raj.' Otherwise, this is just the beginning of blocking your rightful Rs 10,000 benefit."

Thakur also welcomed the Election Commission of India's (ECI) decision to launch the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) -- a nationwide voter list clean-up drive across nine states and three Union Territories starting from Tuesday.

"We welcome the SIR initiative. It safeguards the rights of genuine voters while identifying and removing illegal entries. Unfortunately, the Congress and the RJD protect illegal migrants and use them as a vote bank. SIR is essential to ensure that only real voters exercise their democratic rights," Thakur added.

The SIR 2.0 exercise comes just days before the first phase of the Bihar Assembly polls. During a similar revision earlier this year, over 68 lakh names were deleted from Bihar's electoral rolls after verification, as part of the ECI's effort to remove duplicate, shifted, or deceased voters.

This phase of SIR will cover nearly 51 crore voters across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. Notably, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, and Puducherry are scheduled to hold Assembly elections in 2026.

- IANS