Advani promises special status for Bihar

Promising special status to Bihar if the National Democratic Alliance comes to power, its prime ministerial candidate L K Advani on Friday declared that his government would adopt a policy of zero tolerance towards terror and corruption.

Addressing an election rally at Buxar, Advani agreed with the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who shared the dais with him, that Bihar needed a special package to give a new thrust to development.

"We will ensure giving special status to Bihar for further pacing up the development works initiated by the Nitish Kumar-led government, if the alliance is voted to power," Advani said while showering praises on Kumar for his 'relentless and committed' efforts for changing the face of the state.

If voted to power, the NDA government would endeavour to bring back to the country the ill-gotten wealth of 'the corrupt and the traitors' stashed in tax havens abroad, Advani told election meetings at Buxar, Sasaram and Nawada in Bihar.

Referring to the cash-for-vote scam during the confidence motion in parliament last year, after the Left parties parted ways with the United Progressive Alliance government, Advani said it was a 'national shame' that the Congress-led government indulged in alleged horse-trading for its survival.

"The people of the country will never forget the incident," Advani said.

"The UPA government should have preferred to resign in the wake of withdrawal of support by the Left parties, following the dispute over the nuclear dea, instead of clinging to power through undemocratic ways," Advani added.

Criticising the UPA government for its handling of security issues, Advani said, "Even the National Security Advisor has gone on record saying that the stock markets in India have been penetrated by terrorist networks. A great and very real threat looms large over our national security," he said at Sasaram.

Asserting that the world would acknowledge India as a dominant power under the new NDA regime, Advani said, "As the 20th century belonged to western powers and their culture, the 21st century will belong to India."

Apparently to avoid causing any discomfiture to Nitish Kumar, whose party Janata Dal - United has disapproved of the BJP's contentious agenda, including the construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya,the Uniform Civil Code and repeal of Article 370, Advani chose to skirt these issues in Buxar.

However, at Sasaram, Advani declared, "We feel proud of our election manifesto."

Advani targeted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, calling him 'weak and indecisive', but did not utter a word against Sonia Gandhi or Lalu Prasad.