In a major announcement weeks ahead of the high-voltage election in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav said that if the Opposition alliance comes to power, a member of every family in the state will get a government job.
He assured that legislation to enable this will be brought within 20 days of government formation. “There will be no home in Bihar without a job,” he told the media.
“We are going to make a historic announcement today. Many people wanted to know how we want to take Bihar forward. For 20 years, this ramshackle government never realised that unemployment is the biggest issue,” Yadav said.
He said NDA partners JDU and BJP are not promising jobs, but unemployment allowance. “Any Bihar family that does not have a government job will get one through a new legislation. Within 20 days of forming the government, we will bring this legislation. And within 20 months, we will ensure there is no Bihar home that does not have a government job,” Yadav said.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly said his promise was based on data. “This is my pledge. This can be done. This is no jumlebaazi,” he said.
The people of Bihar, he said, want change this time. “Besides social justice, we will also ensure economic justice for the people of Bihar. This can be done; it requires willpower. They copied our announcements.”
Yadav’s big announcement comes at a time when the ruling coalition cannot make any fresh poll promises because the model code of conduct is in force.
Elections to the 243 Assembly seats in Bihar will be held in two phases — November 6 and November 11. The counting of votes will be held on November 14.
Challenging the ruling NDA coalition is the Mahagathbandhan of RJD, Congress and Left. Poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has also thrown his hat in the ring and his Jan Suraaj Party is gearing up for a poll debut.