Political strategist Prashant Kishor levelled a sensational allegation on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar claiming that the latter did not allow a road to be constructed in West Champaran district as a person hurled a shoe at his rally 15-years-ago.
During the 'Jan Samwad' (Jan Suraaj) with common people in Yogapatti block of West Champaran district on Friday (November 4), Kishor said that the 32 km road connecting Nawalpur to district headquarter Bettiah was not constructed for 15 years.
"I did the padyatra on this stretch consisting only of the knee-dipping dust on the road. When I enquired with the villagers, they told me that the road was not constructed for 15 years. When I asked why, they said that Nitish Kumar came to Yogapatti for a rally 15 years ago where someone hurled a shoe on his stage. Following the incident, Nitish Kumar did not allow to construct the road," he said.
Kishor, who is on a 3,500-kilometre-long "pada-yatra" in the state, on Friday told the crowd in Jogapatti that "Bettiah town is 32 kilometres away. The dirt track is a nightmare for travellers who are bound to get an asthma attack".
"When I was walking on the road, there was only dust over it due to which I started coughing and it is not stopping. This is my status when I walked on the road for just one day; what about the villagers who have been using the road for many years. I was told that many of the villagers are having TB and asthma," Kishor added.
"I am not here to take your votes as I do not have a political party till now but I am surprised with that man (Nitish Kumar) who has taken revenge with the large number of villagers for just one incident where a stranger hurled a shoe at his stage," he asserted.
"There are 1.5 lakh villagers who are affected by this road and have become victims of many deadly diseases in the last 15 years. I want to tell you that the situation will improve only when we wake up. You should be concerned about your children at least if you are not bothered about yourself...," Kishor said.
Reaction on Kishor's fresh jibe:
The party, of which Kumar is the de facto leader, promptly hit back.
"Why is Prashant Kishor so wary of speaking against the BJP, which has held the road construction department portfolio for a major part of the CM's tenure so far," said Afaque Ahmed, a national general secretary of the JD(U).
The JD(U) snapped ties with the BJP three months ago to form a new government with the "Mahagathbandhan" which includes the RJD, Congress and the Left.
Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) has repeatedly accused Kishor, who had handled Narendra Modi's campaign in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, of being an "agent of the BJP".
"Since Prashant Kishor is a novice in politics, he is making such frivolous statements. He must know that Nitish Kumar is credited with transforming Bihar," Ahmed added.
(With agencies inputs)
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