“Modi is trying to demean the people of Bihar. The people here know how much JD(U) and RJD have served them. He is lauding one of us and criticising another. This is a clear strategy to divide us. He is trying to create <g data-gr-id="29">rift</g> between Nitish Kumar and me,” Prasad told <g data-gr-id="33">mediapersons</g>.
RJD chief asserted that Modi’s ploy to create a rift (between him and Kumar) will not succeed and the public will give a befitting reply. Prasad’s quick rebuff came soon after Modi targeted him in his speech while inaugurating several projects, including a new project for IIT Patna, at <g data-gr-id="34">programme</g> here in which Kumar was also present.
Modi had said: “I agree with Kumar. Railway ministers after him did not work, which halted railway projects initiated during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government at the Centre.” The comment was taken as an attack on Prasad, as he had succeeded Kumar as Railways Minister in the UPA I government that followed. It was also widely seen as a criticism of the Congress-led government at the Centre then.
Kumar’s JD(U), RJD, Congress and Congress party are already in alliance to contest the state Assembly polls, scheduled to be held in October-November this year. Reacting to the Prime Minister’s announcement that he will provide a special package to the state at the right time, Prasad said: “Modi will not give any special package to Bihar. We will take it. It is the right of our people.” After Prasad, Nitish Kumar too came down hard on the PM for criticising the state government over various issues.
Addressing a press conference, Nitish Kumar said people of Bihar had great expectations from PM’s visit but the PM had nothing to offer to them. Describing BJP’s Parivartan rally in Muzaffarpur as a failure, Kumar said Modi speech had nothing new in it and that he repeated what he said during campaigning for Lok Sabha elections in 2014.