Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during a rally in Bihar’s Motihari (ANI photo)
Congress leaderPriyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday slammed the BJP, which rules Bihar in alliance with the JDU, during a rally in the state’s Motihari city ahead of the legislative elections in the state.Attacking the prime minister for the disbursement of Rs 7,500 crore among 75 lakh women of Bihar under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, on Thursday, Priyanka said that the NDA alliance was trying to buy votes. “For years, they have been in power. Why did they not think of these doles earlier?” she questioned. Priyanka, conducting her first solo rally, accused the BJP of resorting to vote theft after stirring up caste, religion, and infiltration debates during elections to cause division within the society. “Do you know who has been in power in Bihar for the last 20 years?” she asked. The crowd shouted back, “Those who steal votes,” prompting her to quip, “You have made things so easy for me.” Targeting Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, she alleged that 27 bridges had collapsed in Bihar over the past three years. “So much for the claims of being a Vikas Purush (man of development),” she remarked.Priyanka also referred to over 10,000 acres of land in Bhagalpur allegedly being leased to a business group at a throwaway price, and pointed to US tariffs that could hit exports of makhana, the Indian fox nuts widely grown in north Bihar. The MP from Wayanad also called her brother, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, a “real patriot” for travelling “4,000 kilometres on foot” to listen to common people and understand their problems, referring to the Bharata Jodo Yatra he undertook two years ago.
