The Bharatiya Janata Party has highlighted the Rashtriya Janata Dal's “15-year misrule” in its manifesto for the Bihar Assembly elections.
The manifesto, released by senior party leader Venkaiah Naidu and other State leaders on Tuesday, notes the party's role in bringing about a renaissance in the law and order situation in the State.
The opening pages, which feature endorsement of the NDA government's achievements by President Pratibha Patil, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, economist Amartya Sen and the Dalai Lama, contrast the “15 years (1990-2005) of deterioration” wrought by the RJD government with the “prosperity brought about by the NDA government” in five years, from 2005 to 2010. “It is not sufficient to turn around 15 years of jungle raj within a short span… This government, led by Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi, needs one more chance,” Mr. Naidu said.
Criticising the Congress for “50 years of misrule,” he said the party had lost the “moral right” to ask for votes in the coming elections.
Security and social justice remain the top priorities in the party's agenda for the next five years. It also promised to computerise jails and make panchayats crime-free.
Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said improving the food security system by strengthening the Public Distribution System would also be an important agenda.
The manifesto promises further improvement in primary healthcare and lays out a plan for setting up by 2015 a super-specialty hospital, which will help the people meet their medical needs in the State itself. For the minorities, the party proposes to improve the level of education among Muslims and Backward Classes. It vowed to free Waqf land worth crores of rupees from illegal confiscation and utilise it for education and employment of the community, especially women.
“The voters are in a positive mood and favourably disposed towards the NDA government,” Mr. Naidu said.
Though the Janata Dal (United) and the BJP released their manifestos separately, they would evolve a common minimum programme once they returned to power, Mr. Modi said.
