The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday asserted that it was unfazed by the Mahagathbandhan in Jharkhand and confident about emerging victorious in the upcoming general elections.
Addressing the media on Wednesday in Latehar, party spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said that the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had joined hands in 2014 too, but they could not stop the BJP from achieving a landslide victory.
“BJP got 40.71% vote share in the 2014 general elections, which was 7% more than the total vote percentage of other parties in fray. Now, the irrelevant JVM-P has joined the UPA alliance, which hardly makes any difference,” Shahdeo said.
The JMM, Congress, RJD and JVM-P have unanimously decided to contest the upcoming elections together. Congress party will be the face of the alliance in the general elections and JMM in the state elections.
Shahdeo was in Latehar a day after the Raghubar Das-led government tabled its fifth and final budget of its five-year term in the state.
He lauded the government for coming up with a budget that would be beneficial for people from all walks of life, especially farmers.
“By increasing the agriculture budget by 24% the government has made its stand clear that it is dedicatedly working for the welfare of farmers. The decision of giving Rs.5000 per acre to farmers will also ensure that they don’t get trapped in bank loans,” said Shahdeo, adding that it was a historical move.
The BJP faced flak nationally in the recent past after several cases of farmer suicides were reported and protests staged by farmers in the national capital. In what appeared to be a politically-motivated move to the BJP, the Congress had waived off farmers’ loans soon after coming to power in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan recently.
Shahdeo on Wednesday said that the CM’s Bike Ambulance Scheme will ensure quick health facilities to residents of rural Jharkhand.
He also commended the government’s decision of providing four cows to each of the Tana Bhagat families, which shows the government’s respect for them.