Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday dropped hints at undertaking a nationwide tour after the budget session of the state Assembly to unite the Opposition parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He was replying to a query by media persons at Daruabari village, 4km south of Valmikinagar in West Champaran district, where he reached as part of his ‘Samadhan Yatra’.
“I wanted to take stock of the work undertaken by the state government. We have an assembly session ( budget session) ahead. . Ye sab kar lenge, phir aage ka dekhenge (We will do this first…will see after that),” said Kumar, replying to a query as to when he will undertake a nationwide political tour.
The budget session of the Bihar Assembly will commence from February 25 and conclude on March 31.
Kumar, known for undertaking statewide yatras since he undertook ‘Nyay Yatra’ ahead of the 2005 assembly elections, began his 14th yatra, covering 18 districts of the state, on Thursday.
Kumar said the whole idea behind this yatra is o check the status of various schemes and projects undertaken by the state government. “We will take the status of those schemes and projects and try to find out the solution, if any requirement needed. This explains the reason as to why this yatra has been named as Samadhan Yatra,” he said.
The chief minister was also accompanied by his cabinet colleagues Sanjay Jha, water resource minister, and Vijay Choudhary, finance minister.
The 16-day Samadhan Yatra will cover 18 districts – West Champaran, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Vaishali, Siwan, Saran, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Supaul, Saharsa, Araria, Kishanganj, Kathihar, Khagaria, Banka, Munger, Lakhisarai and Sheikhpura – by January 29 as per an itinerary issued by the cabinet secretariat department.
Taking a potshot at Kumar’s journey, political strategist Prashant Kishor tweeted saying, “The Chief Minister of Bihar is going on his 14th “Yatra”. Sir, in 4-5 hours, meeting officials, public representatives and some local people will complete the “travel” of districts with 30-40 lakh population! Do you think, people will get some benefit from this “Yatra” of Nitish ji?”
Taking a dig at Kumar’s hints at undertaking a nationwide tour, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Sanjay Jaiswal said the chief minister must go ahead and tell the nation about the status of education and industries in his home state. “Our Prime Minister was well received by the nation when he spoke about the Gujarat model. He (Kumar) must go ahead and tell the nation about his Bihar model which has become synonymous with failure on all front,” said the BJP state president.
