PM Narendra Modi's Bihar package a poll gimmick: Opposition parties

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of a Rs 1.25 lakh crore package for election- bound Bihar today came in for ridicule from various Opposition parties, which dismissed it as "just a jumla" or poll gimmick.

Congress General Secretary Shakeel Ahmed dubbed it as "just jumlebaazi" ahead of elections. He asked why the Prime Minister should wait for making the announcement only ahead of elections.

"This is just to hoodwink the people of Bihar, who will not buy it," he said.

NCP leader Tariq Anwar also spoke on similar lines and said that Modi has not visited Bihar after becoming prime minister and he has "not implemented" any of the promises he made in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.

Left parties also questioned the package and sought to know if it offered anything extra to the region.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad's brother-in-law Sadhu Yadav, who has now floated a new party Garib Janta Dal was also dismissive of the package announced by the prime minister.