New Delhi: Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha on Monday, February 3 responded to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s remarks on the Union Budget and said that the opposition is against Bihar and its people and when the latter was in the government, he had a chance to work for Bihar but he did not.
“When he (Tejashwi Yadav) was in the UPA Govt, he had a chance to work for Bihar but he didn’t. The opposition is against Bihar and Biharis. Nitish Kumar made the right decision by leaving the INDIA Bloc. You can see how the INDIA alliance has divided and is fighting against each other in Delhi,” Jha told ANI.
He emphasized further that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working for the development of Purvanchal states. “PM Modi is working on the development of Purvanchal states and the help that Bihar has got in the budget will definitely benefit Bihar,” the JD (U) MP said.
In her budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced several incentives for Bihar, where assembly elections are due toward the end of this year. She announced that Greenfield airports would be developed in Bihar, in addition to expanding the capacity of Patna Airport and constructing a brownfield airport in Bihta.
FM Sitharaman also highlighted the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday criticised the Union Budget for failing to mention a “special package” for Bihar and called the budget “unfair” to the state.
Addressing a press conference in Bihar’s Vaishali, Yadav accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of failing to secure a better deal for the state despite being an ally of the ruling BJP at the Centre.
“They did not talk about (giving Bihar) a special package. I am not sure if they will even give Bihar the status of a special state… Today’s budget was unfair to Bihar. Whatever was given in the last budget has just been repeated this time… They have talked about Green Field Airport, but no details of where and when it will be built. No budget allocation for it was mentioned. I think all this is just ‘jumla’. Train fares are getting expensive. No relief has been given in that,” Yadav said.
Yadav remarks comes a day after the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday praised the Union Budget 2025, describing it as a “progressive and forward-thinking” financial plan that promises to accelerate both national and state-level development.
Kumar expressed particular appreciation for several Bihar-specific initiatives, including the creation of the Makhana Board, Greenfield Airports in Bihar and the Western Kosi Canal Project in Mithilanchal, and said all this will significantly contribute to the state’s economic growth and infrastructure expansion.
The CM further praised the provision made for the expansion of Patna IIT in the budget asserting that it will promote technical education. “The establishment of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar will provide skills, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities to the youth and will promote food processing activities in eastern India, he said”
(With inputs from ANI)
