PM Modi pats Nitish Kumar for good governance, takes dig at Lalu Prasad

Without naming the opposition RJD or its leader Lalu Prasad, and the party's ally Congress, Modi blamed the state's backwardness on a mindset which made them sneer at economic progress.

Ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday gave Chief Minister Nitish Kumar a pat on his back for ushering in sushasan (good governance) and expressed confidence that the good work will continue under the leadership of the JD(U) chief.

Without naming the opposition RJD or its chief Lalu Prasad, and the party’s ally Congress, Modi blamed the state’s backwardness on a mindset which made them sneer at economic progress and thought lip-service was enough when it came to the betterment of the poor.

The Prime Minister was speaking at an event where he inaugurated three petroleum sector projects worth around Rs 900 crore via video conferencing.

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“Bihar has for long been plagued by a peculiar mindset. Road projects were frowned upon and people used to ask what do these have to offer those who walk on foot and do not have vehicles,” PM Modi said in a veiled reference to Prasad.

“Such indifference to progress also took its toll on higher education. But the last 15 years have been of sushasan. Infrastructure has improved. New medical and engineering colleges, law institutes and polytechnics have come up. Nitish Kumar has a very important role to play in ensuring the process continues,” he added.

The BJP has declared it will contest the assembly elections in Bihar with Kumar as the coalition’s chief ministerial candidate.

Referring to the coronavirus pandemic and the large scale return of migrants during lockdown, Modi said, “This crisis has also presented us with opportunities. We can think of new employment generation avenues by setting in motion rapid economic activity.”

PM Modi today inaugurated the 193 km extension of the LPG pipeline from Durgapur in West Bengal to Banka in Bihar, and two LPG bottling plants in Banka and East Champaran’s Harsiddhi.