Bihar Polls: JD(U)-RJD-Congress alliance plans to unveil joint governance charter

NEW DELHI: The JD(U)-RJD Congress alliance is planning to unveil a joint charter for governance before the Bihar electorate. Their vision for development of the state will be in addition to election manifestos of each party in the alliance.

In addition to the 'social justice' plank, the common charter of governance, according to sources, will focus on pledges to bring the fruits of governance and development to the masses and will have promises about affordable housing schemes for the middle class and poor sections, uninterrupted electricity and water supply and irrigation facilities, development blueprints for backward and Naxalite-affected regions of the state, vision for improving law and order and ensuring communal harmony, action-plan for ushering in investment, industry and jobs for the youth. "We are working on a joint charter for governance, a kind of common minimum programme for the all round development of Bihar. It would be a set of time-bound doable governance agenda for the future of Bihar," said a leader of the alliance.

The move is designed to project good administration as its main plank under the projected 'good governance' track record of chief minister Nitish Kumar. Also, the alliance hopes to use the charter to counter the development plank of the Modi-led BJP.

ET VIEW: Development Vs Better Development

Development is no longer the icing on the cake, but the cake itself. It would be naive to expect the JD(U)-RJD-Congress joint charter to spell out anything about 'social engineering' in their joint charter for governance. Lalu Prasad has been (forced into?) keeping quiet about any 'great communal menace'. The same restraint holds for the BJP. Which is good news for the people of Bihar. The promiseof more development is no longer a special feature for any party. It's a prerequisite.