Party spokesperson Pavan Verma claimed ₹14,000 crore was diverted within an hour of the code kicking in, calling the move unethical and a distortion of the electoral playing field.
BY PC Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj Party on Sunday alleged that World Bank-funded project money was diverted to finance pre-poll cash transfers to women in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections. Party spokesperson Pavan Verma claimed that funds under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana were released at an unusual scale and with suspicious timing — just an hour before the Model Code of Conduct came into force.
Verma said the party had received information suggesting that ₹14,000 crore out of ₹21,000 crore linked to a World Bank-backed project was repurposed for the payouts. “Bihar’s public debt stands at ₹4.06 lakh crore, and the state pays ₹63 crore in interest every day. The treasury is empty. We have been told — though this may need verification — that the ₹10,000 credited to women was drawn from ₹21,000 crore that came from the World Bank for a different project. An hour before the Model Code of Conduct kicked in, ₹14,000 crore was taken out and distributed to 1.25 crore women,” he told ANI.
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Chirag Paswan Rejects the Charge
Union minister and LJP (RV) chief Chirag Paswan dismissed the allegations as baseless, demanding proof. “Where do they get this data? These are empty claims. If they have facts, let them present them — the government will respond,” he said.
‘People Didn’t Want Jungle Raj Back’
Verma also rejected suggestions that Jan Suraaj’s stand on lifting Bihar’s liquor ban hurt its prospects. He said prohibition had already collapsed in practice, alleging liquor was available “at every nook and corner” and even home-delivered at inflated prices. More than two lakh people — mostly from extremely backward Dalit communities — had been jailed under the law, he added. “People are consuming liquor and paying more for it. Would that not affect women who have to run their homes?” he asked.
Despite contesting all 243 seats and running a high-decibel campaign, Jan Suraaj failed to win a single constituency. Verma said last-minute cash transfers, women-centric schemes and a voter consolidation against the return of “jungle raj” proved decisive. “Nitish ji was the X-factor… People of Bihar did not want the jungle raj of Lalu ji, RJD and Tejashwi to return,” he said.
The ruling NDA swept 202 seats, securing a three-fourths majority in the 243-member Assembly — the second time it has crossed the 200-seat mark after its 2010 tally of 206. The opposition Mahagathbandhan managed only 35 seats, with the RJD winning 25 and the Congress 6.
