Patna: Introducing its manifesto for the current Lok Sabha elections, JD(U) today promised extending reservation in jobs in private sector, law for safeguard of migrant labourers, ‘special category' status for Bihar and other least developed states.
Party President Sharad Yadav praised development carried out in Bihar in the past nine years which “made the dream of Ram Manohar Lohia turn true,” and promised to take this “inclusive growth” model across the country.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, state JD(U) president Basistha Narayan Singh, party general secretary K C Tyagi and senior state minister Vijay Chaudhary were present during the release of manifesto showcasing “alternative vision” of party. The party also pledged to replicate Bihar's successful experiment of providing 50 per cent reservation to women in panchayat and urban local bodies and “an affirmative action” for giving reservation to the economically and educationally weaker sections among forward castes.
Elaborating on the manifesto, CM Nitish Kumar harped on re-defining Centre-State ties and called for scrapping schemes devised by the Centre “without consulting states.” “Shoes of a particular size can't fit every person... states shall be accorded autonomy to formulate schemes based on its needs which the Centre should fund,” Kumar said.
Kumar flayed the UPA approach of considering Centre as ‘Dataa' (donor) and states ‘Yachak' (seekers). Stating that good governance and zero tolerance towards communalism and corruption would be their priority, Kumar said, “We put our government in Bihar at risk for sake of fighting communalism.”
He said this to justify snapping of ties from BJP after they elevated Narendra Modi. Both Sharad Yadav and Nitish Kumar hit out at their estranged companion BJP and said “While we have enumerated our vision of development for the country they have been mouthing anything and everything and only repeat the chant of appointing a person (Modi) as the Prime Minister.
