Nitish reaches out to upper castes in poll-bound Bihar
October 19th, 2010 - 3:31 pm ICT by IANSPatna, Oct 19 (IANS) Wooing the upper castes ahead of the Bihar assembly polls, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Tuesday promised to set up a commission to study the problems faced by the upper caste poor and launch welfare schemes for them if his Janata Dal-United (JD-U) party is voted back to power.
The opposition Congress promptly termed the chief minister’s promise as an election gimmick.
Asked if he would provide reservation to the poor among upper castes, the chief minister said: “First let me return to power to set up a commission for the poor among upper castes.”
Congress state spokesperson Prem Chand Mishra described the chief minister’s speech as nothing but a political gimmick. “Nitish Kumar is upset that upper castes’ voters have been returning to the Congress,” he said.
JD-U rebel MP Lalan Singh also attacked Nitish Kumar, saying the chief minister was fooling the upper castes who, he claimed, have already decided to vote and support the Congress.
The Congress is contesting all the 243 seats on its own. The Rashtriya Janata Dal-Lok Janshakti Party combine has promised 10 percent reservation to the poor among the upper castes if the alliance is voted to power.
Elections to the 243-seat state assembly will be held in six phases, from Oct 21 to Nov 20. The results will be declared Nov 24.
- Bihar to set up panel for upper caste poor - Jan 27, 2011
- Now, a survey on status of Bihar's upper castes - May 06, 2011
- Farm tenants' rights, caste issues on test in Bihar poll (Curtain Raiser, 4th round) - Oct 31, 2010
- Development overrides caste in Bihar battle - Oct 17, 2010
- Voting begins for third phase of Bihar polls (Lead) - Oct 28, 2010
- JD-U, BJP take early lead in Bihar (Lead) - Nov 24, 2010
- Bihar vote count begins - Nov 24, 2010
- JD-U fields Nitish Kumar's castemen in Nalanda - Oct 04, 2010
- Bihar polls: Voting under way for third phase (Second Lead) - Oct 28, 2010
- Bihar poll-second phase: Caste arithmetic to play decisive role (Curtain Raiser) - Oct 23, 2010
- Rebel JD-U MP warns against Nitish's return to power - Oct 20, 2010
- Bihar JD-U is run like a private company: rebel MP - Sep 27, 2010
- JD-U denies ticket to Mandal junior - Sep 30, 2010
- Amid threats of Maoist violence, Bihar polls enter last lap (Curtainraiser - Phase 6) - Nov 19, 2010
- Bihar voted for development, says Shahnawaz - Nov 24, 2010
Tags: assembly polls, chief minister, combine, elections, gimmick, janata, jd, lalan, lok, mishra, mp, nitish kumar, opposition congress, patna, poll, spokesperson, state assembly, upper caste, upper castes, welfare schemes