In Patna, Amit Shah Punches Holes In Tejashwi Yadav's Government Jobs Promise

Union home minister Amit Shah, who is on a three-day visit to Bihar ahead of the assembly election, took on Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tejashwi Yadav and Congress's Rahul Gandhi today -- questioning one over his promise of providing government jobs to a member from every home and making a jab at the other over his "Voter Adhikar Yatra". 

The RJD's promise of government jobs to each family in Bihar is not feasible, Amit Shah said in Patna, questioning how he plans to finance this ambitious scheme.

The sharper barb was saved for Rahul Gandhi, who, Shah said, "Can lead any number of 'save infiltrator yatras'".

"The BJP will not allow illegal immigrants in the country," he added.

Earlier this month, Tejashwi Yadav had made his promise about government jobs, assuring that a member of every family in the state will be accommodated in the government. 

He assured that a law to enable this will be brought within 20 days of government formation. "There will be no home in Bihar without a job," he had told the media, striking a chord of hope in the state hungry for jobs. 

Pointing out that the ruling alliance of Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United and the BJP are not promising jobs, but only an unemployment allowance, he said, "This is my pledge. This can be done. This is no jumlebaazi". 

Since the announcement was made, there have been multiple questions, with many pointing out that the state's pockets are not deep enough to support the scheme. 

Yadav, however, had pointed to his record in providing jobs during his stint as the Deputy Chief Minister in Nitish Kumar's government during the rule of the Grand Alliance, saying 3 lakh young people had been given employment in a matter of months. 

Mr Shah's jibe at Rahul Gandhi over the Voter Adhikar Yatra he led in the poll-bound state also is a reprise of the BJP allegation that the foot march was merely to protect illegal infiltrators from being ejected from voter lists. 

Elections to the 243 assembly seats of the eastern state will be held in two phases -- November 6 and November 11. The counting of votes will be held on November 14.