Tejashwi Yadav accuses Nitish government of misusing public funds
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Patna: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and JD(U) of misusing government funds under the pretext of public outreach to bolster their political campaign for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
Speaking at the party headquarters in Patna, Tejashwi alleged that funds were being siphoned off through initiatives like 'Mahila Samvad', which he described as a vehicle for political propaganda.
"The Nitish Kumar government has ordered digital chariots worth Rs 225 crore in the name of Mahila Samvad," Tejashwi said.
He said, "Six hundred digital election chariots have been sanctioned using taxpayers' money, with the Rural Development Department spending Rs 225 crore on what they described as the CM's 'journey', a campaign that allegedly underwent multiple name changes to mask its true purpose."
Tejashwi alleged large-scale financial mismanagement by the government, claiming that ₹76,622 crore worth of schemes, primarily construction-related, were approved in just six to seven cabinet meetings since December 2024. He further highlighted that ₹1,949 crore was sanctioned during a single cabinet meeting on December 19.
"Ministers are taking 30 per cent commission on these projects," he claimed.
"Tenders are being rushed through to cover election costs, and local contractors are being sidelined in favour of outsiders," Tejashwi alleged, describing the situation as "loot of the government treasury".
He also warned about the growing debt of the state, stating that "Rs 25,000–30,000 crore is being paid annually as interest, amounting to 8-9 per cent of the state's total borrowing".
On Friday, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched the ambitious 'Mahila Samvad' campaign, aiming to connect with over 2 crore women across Bihar. The initiative seeks to inform them about government schemes and empower them to become Aatmanirbhar (self-reliant).
The campaign kicked off with 600 events on its first day and plans to organise 70,000 programmes statewide over the next 60 days.
(inputs from IANS)
