Prime Minister targets BJP in Jharkhand

Prime Minister targets BJP in Jharkhand

Sunday, February 13, 2005 (Jamshedupur):

Campaigning ended on Sunday for the second phase of elections in Bihar and Jharkhand.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was in Jharkhand, and addressing a rally in Jamshedpur, he attacked the BJP government in the state on development and the Naxal problem.

"If law and order keeps detriorating, we cannot think of development," the Prime Minister said.

He said the people would have to choose between development or disturbances by communal forces, contending that development was the "only way" Naxal activities could be checked.

"Some political parties are trying to divide the society on Mandir-Masjid issue. Such attempts will not help the country to progress. Such forces will only push the country backwards," the Prime Minister said.

Coalition compulsions

But in Bihar and Jharkhand, the Congress is on the backfoot.

Several of its allies in the Centre are fighting each other, leading to a peculiar situation of UPA constituents opposing each other in several seats.

"We are new to coalition politics. The Congress party itself is new to the idea of coalition politics but there's no doubt in my mind that the Congress will form a secular government in Jharkhand," the Prime Minister said.

But while the Prime Minister was offering a development plank, the BJP too had its top guns out in the field for a final offensive.

RJD denies screening CDs

Meanwhile, in Bihar, the focus on the last day of campaigning for the second phase was on screening of CDs of the Gujarat riots.

Responding to the Election Commission's notice, the RJD has denied any links with screening the CDs.

The Congress is contesting 80 of Bihar's 243 seats in alliance with Lalu Prasad's RJD and Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party.

from ndtv.com