Patna: Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan targeted the opposition on Tuesday, questioning the feasibility and intent behind their electoral promises. Speaking to the media in Patna, Paswan dismissed the manifesto as “no big deal,” asserting that the Grand Alliance would not come to power.
“What’s the big deal in making announcements when you know you won’t be in power? Where will the budget come from?” Paswan asked, directly challenging the credibility of the opposition’s pledges. He accused Bihar’s Leader of Opposition, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, of “lying without considering the consequences” and suggested that opposition leaders were making extravagant promises with no intention of fulfilling them.
Paswan highlighted the fiscal impracticality of providing government jobs to approximately 2.5 crore families, as proposed by the Grand Alliance. He estimated the cost at around Rs 7 lakh crore, more than double Bihar’s current budget of Rs 3 lakh crore. “On one hand, you claim that one of your biggest announcements is providing government jobs to every family. Even at minimum wages, this would require at least Rs 7-9 lakh crore. Where will this budget come from?” he asked.
He further challenged the opposition to provide a clear roadmap for revenue generation and to justify how other promises in their manifesto would be implemented. “Opposition leaders know that if they don’t want to come to power, what’s the harm in lying? What’s the harm in making big promises?” Paswan said.
Earlier in the day, Paswan celebrated Chhath Puja at his Patna residence, praying for prosperity for Bihar as election campaigning gained momentum.
