Bihar CM asks Ravi Shankar Prasad to look into BSNL call drop issue

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday asked the Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to first look into the BSNL’s frequent call drop issue rather than leading an attack on the Janata Parivar ahead of the upcoming assembly polls.

He also said that the failure to keep a check on the condition of the state-run service might have the minister “dropped” (from the government.)

“The BSNL’s condition is not good as thecall drops in mobile phones have become a routine thing…please look into the call drop issue,” he said on the sidelines of Janata Durbar at his official residence.

“If the call drop problem festers it may so happen that you may be dropped (from the government),” Kumar said.

Criticising saffron party’s frequent attacks on him, the CM said that going by the ferocity of the rival’s attack, it was clear that the BJP leaders have become “intolerant.” “The BJP leaders cannot tolerate anything which they don’t like and it was the reason behind the JD(U) breaking away from the erstwhile ally two years ago,” the Chief Minister said.

The saffron party’s concerted attack on him has “vindicated our stand to walk out from long standing alliance with it”, he added.

Nitish also charged the BJP with making a “perverted” attempt to vitiate political situation in Bihar by trying to defeat the JD(U)’s official candidates during last year’s bypoll in three Rajya Sabha seats.

It was to defeat the saffron party’s political designs that the JD(U) and other secular parties, including the RJD and Congress, joined forces to put up an alternative front, he added.

“The seat sharing issue will take care of itself as we have decided to stand united and in agreement on taking on the BJP together”, the Chief Minister said, adding that the talks were underway to decide on seat sharing formula among the partners of the secular alliance.

Explaining the reason for the BJP going against the secular alliance and its leaders, he said that the saffron party has been unnerved by the strength of the secular alliance and the reason for them going all out against us was understandable.

Kumar said that the saffron party has no clarity on issues and their leaders have become arrogant post their party’s success in the General elections last year.

“There are a legion of great leaders and saints in the BJP,” the senior JD(U) leaders while seeking to brush aside the impact of the saffron party leaders and ministers in poll-bound Bihar at regular intervals.

On being asked whether the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad’s “to drink poison to stop BJP in Bihar” was aimed at him, the Chief Minister refrained from saying much beyond that Lalu has already clarified his remarks.

On the state government’s project – Bihar@2025 – aimed at preparing vision document for next 10 years development in consultation with the people, he denied that the event has anything to do with political party or assembly polls.

“The vision document to be prepared in consultation with the people will help Bihar leapfrog in terms of development over other states for which a mass campaign has been launched by apprising the people about development in the past one decade and their aspiration for development and sectors of it over the next ten years,” he said.

Courtesy: PTI