In a clear indication of the deepening differences between Opposition-ruled States and the Centre, Bihar and Jharkhand on Saturday gave a miss to the ‘first-of-its-kind’ Centre-State Science Conclave inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said the role of the country’s science and people working in this field is “very important” when India is moving towards leading the “fourth industrial revolution.”
Both Bihar and Jharkhand are home to political churnings, of late. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has dumped the NDA to form the Mahagathbandhan Government in the State besides taking it upon himself to forge Opposition unity to oust the BJP from power in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
His Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren is embroiled in a mining controversy and suspense continues over his continuance in office even as the fear of a BJP strike at his Government lurks.
Nitish is the latest to join the bandwagon of leaders like TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao who have taken upon themselves to cobble up a united Opposition front to take on the BJP juggernaut. While Nitish has said a united Opposition or main front can reduce the BJP’s figures by less than 50 Lok Sabha seats, Mamata has publicly announced a joining of hands with Nitish and Hemant.
The political rumblings notwithstanding, addressing the conclave in Ahmedabad after inaugurating it via video conferencing, Modi said his Government was working with the “thinking of science-based development”.
He pointed out that the organisation of the conclave was a clear example of ‘Sabka Prayas’.
“Science is like that energy in the development of 21st Century India, which has the power to accelerate the development of every region and the development of every State,” he said.