Bihar's incumbent Janta Dal (United)-Bharatiya Janata Party government has shown above average performance during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the proof will be visible in the upcoming election results, according to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
“I don't talk about it so many people won't know this,” Kumar told Quintillion Media's Editorial Director Sanjay Pugalia in an interview, referring to job creation and pandemic relief work in the country's third-most populous state.
The Bihar government has offered Rs 1,000 as aid to over 21 lakh people during the pandemic, he said, over and above the free ration provided by the state and centre. It has also created a large number of high-quality jobs, Kumar claimed. This comes at a time the BJP promised 19 lakh jobs in its Bihar manifesto.
“There is a difference between creating job opportunities and giving an abundance of government jobs,” Kumar said, adding the state created jobs within teaching, police department and other government offices. The JD(U)-BJP government has further arranged for many to be educated, skilled and trained in high quality jobs, he said.
Besides, “Bihar's average testing rate [for Covid-19] is much higher than India's. It also has a 96% recovery rate. We don't keep talking about it, we work instead,” he said.
Campaigning for the second phase of Bihar assembly elections ended on Sunday, setting the stage for polling on Tuesday in 94 constituencies across 17 districts. Voting will begin at 7:00 a.m. on Nov. 3. The final round will take place on Nov. 7, and the counting is on Nov. 10.
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