Patna, October 30: The opposition INDIA bloc will release its manifesto for the Bihar Assembly election on Tuesday, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and the alliance’s chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav said on Monday.
Yadav said Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will join the bloc’s campaign from October 29, beginning with rallies in Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga. Gandhi had earlier led the Voter Adhikar Yatra in the state to mobilise support for the alliance.
Speaking in a Facebook live session, Yadav said the manifesto would focus on the needs of youth, farmers, workers, women and senior citizens, and set out plans for reforms in education, healthcare and law and order.
He also took aim at the central government, accusing it of “telling lies” about operating 12,000 special trains for devotees travelling to Bihar during the Chhath festival.
“In the entire country, the number of trains is not more than 13,000, and the minister claims to run 12,000 special trains. Why do these people lie so much?” Yadav said, referring to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. “They have forced people of Bihar to return home in crowded trains, treating them like animals.”
Citing data shared by RJD Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Yadav in Parliament, he said around 3 crore people from Bihar have officially migrated to other states in search of jobs, with the unregistered number likely to be closer to 5 crore.
“It really pains me that many people from Bihar only meet their families during Chhath,” Yadav said, promising that if the INDIA bloc comes to power, “from the next Chhath onwards, all people will celebrate with their families at home.”
On Monday, the RJD expelled 27 leaders for contesting as independent candidates against INDIA bloc nominees, a move aimed at preserving unity within the opposition alliance ahead of polling.
