Will Jail Nitish Kumar for Corruption in 'Saat Nishchay' Scheme if LJP Comes to Power, Says Chirag Paswan

LJP leader Chirag Paswan on Sunday threatened to jail JD(U) supremo and chief minister Nitish Kumar for alleged corruption in the ‘7 Nishchay’ scheme if his party comes to power in the state.

Addressing an election rally in Dumraon, Buxar, Paswan said, “This is Chirag Paswan’s promise to you. I have mentioned this in our party manifesto too. If the LJP government comes to power, we will probe all the corruption in ‘7 Nishchay’, whether by an official or the Chief Minister. And all those found responsible will be jailed.”

The Rs 2.7-lakh-crore ‘Saat Nishchay’ (Seven Resolves) scheme was announced by Nitish Kumar before the 2015 assembly elections which he had fought against the BJP as part of the Mahagathbandhan with RJD and Congress. Electricity, sewage connection, toilets, piped drinking water and metallic roads were some of the components of the scheme, which was launched to counter Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Rs 1.25 lakh crore special package for Bihar.

In September this year, the CM announced phase-2 of the scheme and said the new seven-point plan would include programmes to enhance the skill of youths, promote entrepreneurship among women, provide irrigation facilities to every farmland and additional health facilities for people.

Calling for a Nitish-free government in Bihar, Paswan also appealed to voters to choose the BJP in seats where the LJP has not put up candidates.

Paswan had walked out of the NDA amid seat-sharing differences with the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U), but has openly declared loyalty and support towards PM Narendra Modi and the BJP. The LJP has pitted 122 candidates against the JD(U) and its ally, Jitin Ram Manjhi’s HAM in the Bihar assembly poll.

As per a CVoter opinion poll, the NDA is comfortably returning to power in Bihar with a clear majority, but the BJP may emerge as the single largest party much ahead of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar led JD-U. As per the survey, the NDA, comprising JD-U and BJP alliance, will get 135-159 seats in the assembly elections, getting a clear majority.

The BJP will be the largest party in the with 73-81 seats while JD-U will get between 59-87 seats, it predicted. RJD-Congress-led Mahagathbandhan alliance will get 77-98 seats, it added, giving Chirag Paswan’s LJP 1-5 seats.

Voting for Bihar assembly elections will be held in three phases on October 28, November 3 and November 7 in one of the biggest elections globally during the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by counting of votes on November 10.

Voting for the first phase on October 28 will cover 71 assembly constituencies, while the second-phase voting on November 3 will cover 94 seats. The third phase of voting on November 7 will cover 78 assembly seats.

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