Union min dismisses oppn alliance meet as ‘drama’

Patna: Union minister of state B L Verma on Sunday dismissed the third meeting of the opposition INDIA bloc in Patna as mere "drama" and claimed that the NDA would return to power in Bihar. The state assembly election is due in Oct-Nov this year.

Verma, who was in Bihar to address the Ambedkar Samman Abhiyan Vichar Goshthi at Sakra in Muzaffarpur, also targeted RJD leader and opposition alliance coordination committee chairman Tejashwi Prasad Yadav. "No matter how many meetings they hold, the NDA flag will fly in Bihar under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi. As the country is moving forward under PM Modi, Bihar will also progress at the same pace," he said.

JD(U) acting national president Sanjay Kumar Jha claimed the opposition lacked unity while the NDA remained strong and cohesive. "It was evident in the last Lok Sabha elections as well. Since there is an election in Bihar, every party has the right to contest in its own way. But considering how the Centre has supported Bihar in the last two budgets and the state's progress under CM Nitish Kumar, there is no doubt about an NDA victory," he said.

JD(U) spokesperson Arvind Nishad said the opposition alliance was a "muddy mix" of parties with no coherent policy or plan for Bihar's development. BJP spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said the opposition had lost direction following PM Modi's decision to conduct a caste census in the country.