Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to announce a fat relief package and break bread with his once bitter enemy and new found ally Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday.
The PM is arriving on Saturday to undertake aerial survey of flood affected areas of Bihar. Modi would land in Purnia and make aerial survey of the worst affected districts of Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar and Purnia by Army chopper. All these districts which were first to face the fury of flood are situated in Seemanchal region close to the borders of Nepal and Bangladesh.
Nitish and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi would receive the PM in Purnia and accompany him for the aerial survey. This will be PM Modi’s first visit to see the flood situation in Bihar and after a gap of nine years any PM is coming to take stock of the flood situation. In 2008 then PM Manmohan Singh had made an aerial survey of flooded areas of Bihar.
The PM is expected to announce a flood relief package after holding talks with CM, Deputy CM and top officials in Patna. A team headed by Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh is busy drafting the memorandum of demand listing the approximate losses of lives, cattle heads, crop and other infrastructure in altogether 18 flood affected districts.
After the meeting, the PM would go to 1, Ane Marg residence of the CM where Nitish would host a munch for him. Modi, after four hours visit will return to Delhi by 3pm.
While all preparations for the PM’s visit are afoot, RJD supremo lalu Prasad made fun of Modi’s aerial survey saying he was coming for “hawa khori” (picnic). lalu also alleged that the timing of the visit has been planned to target his “BJP bhagao, Desh bachao” rally on Sunday
in Patna.
“His purpose is not the survey of flood affected areas but to create trouble to my rally which is scheduled a day after PM’s visit. The administration has been given signal to stop people coming to my rally,” alleged lalu. He further said, “Sushil Modi claimed that he has invited the PM. CM Nitish Kumar is nowhere in the picture. Sushil Modi is dominating the government and donning the role of defacto CM.”
lalu claimed his rally would be historical but some top politicians including AICC president Sonia Gandhi, vice president Rahu Gandhi and BSP chief Mayawati are not coming to attend it. Disgruntled JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, however, is likely to participate in the rally at Gandhi Maidan on August 27.
The RJD on the penultimate day of the Assembly tried to force an adjournment motion to debate flood situation but it was declined by the Speaker. Deputy CM Modi in the Assembly asked the RJD to postpone its rally and instead go for relief work among the victims but it was rejected by Abdul Bari Siddiqui of the RJD who said that rally would be held on time.