Bihar Countdown Begins: Congress Questions BJP's Last-Minute Schemes

In a fiery address, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh declared that the countdown for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's government has initiated, taking aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his earlier critiques of opposition parties. Ramesh accused Modi of distributing 'revdis,' or freebies, to Bihar's populace ahead of impending assembly elections.

He highlighted Modi's previous criticism of Karnataka's Gruha Lakshmi scheme, where Rs 2,000 is provided monthly to 1.3 crore women. Now, Modi has announced a one-time payment for Bihar's women, just before the election code of conduct is implemented, raising suspicions of electoral manipulation, dubbed 'vote chori' by the Congress.

On Friday, Modi launched the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, transferring Rs 10,000 each to 75 lakh women across Bihar via video conference. The initiative, aimed at empowering women through self-employment, offers financial assistance that can reach up to Rs 2 lakh in phases, covering sectors like agriculture and weaving.

While beneficiaries welcomed the scheme, expressing gratitude to both Modi and Kumar, the Congress remains critical, suggesting these moves by Modi are attempts to secure votes. The scheme seeks to ensure economic independence and social empowerment for women, aligning with Bihar's government vision of promoting women's self-reliance.

Ramesh contends that both Kumar and Modi are relics of the past, with Bihar's electorate poised for change. The unfolding political drama underscores the intense battle for influence as assembly elections loom.

(With inputs from agencies.)