Both Lalu, Nitish play Bihar development card

Lalu’s attack follows Energy Minister Bijeyndra Yadav’s declaration that the state will have to review its commitment for land and water for the proposed mega thermal power plant at Nabinagar in Aurangabad district, a joint venture between the NTPC and the Railways. Nitish followed it up and demanded that Bihar should get at least 10 per cent of the power produced by the plant. He pointed out that against a due share of at least 100 MW in the 1000-MW plant, the state has been allotted just 58 MW.

Setting aside this argument, Lalu said the state will get power according to its paying capacity. “Power does not come free. The state will get whatever it pays for and moreover power plants are for the entire country and not a particular state,” he declared.

The Nabinagar power project has become the centre of a political battle between the two leaders as Nitish had earlier taken credit for it and laid its foundation stone during his tenure as Railways Minister. Lalu, however, charged that Nitish had done so only for political mileage before the elections, without any concrete clearance for the plant. “He had hurriedly laid the foundation stone after the polls were announced. Now, when I have made a concrete move, his Government is trying to stall it,” Lalu alleged.

Nitish had earlier charged Lalu of violating the federal structure by using resources available with the Railways against the state government. He had declared that he would write to the Prime Minister and urge him to call a meeting of the National Development Council over the issue.