Tejashwi Yadav Presents Mahagathbandhan Manifesto, Promises Government Job For All Bihar Families

The opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar was the first off the blocks to release its manifesto ahead of the election, making a series of promises topped by jobs for every family. 

"Within 20 days, one member from every family will be given a government job," the first of the 25-point of the manifesto said, formalizing the main promise Tejashwi Yadav has made to the voters. 

The manifesto also said Jeevika Didis will be granted permanent status as government employees. Making all contractual and outsourced workers permanent and reverting to the Old Pension Scheme are among the other salient points.

"The INDIA bloc manifesto for Bihar polls has 25 major points assuring practical solutions," Tejashwi Yadav said on the occasion that was also attended by Mukesh Sahani, the Deputy Chief Ministerial candidate of the Grand Alliance and chief of Vikassheel Insaan Party, Congress's Pawan Khera and CPI(ML)'s Dipankar Bhattacharya.

"We have announced the Chief Ministerial face as well. Today, we are going to release the 'Tejashwi Pran Patra' on how we are going to work for the next five years," Tejashwi Yadav said. 

"We want the NDA to announce the name of their Chief Minister. What schemes do they have? What is their vision, and how are they going to take Bihar forward? We have given a roadmap, a vision, and we are clear that we will make Bihar number one. They only speak negative things and make allegations about our leaders," he later told reporters in a jibe at the NDA, which is yet to release its manifesto.

The Grand Alliance had smarted for long under BJP jibes over its tardy progress in terms of campaigning, seat sharing talks and the absence of Congress's Rahul Gandhi from Ground Zero. 

The opposition bloc had also exacted sweet revenge when it announced its Chief Ministerial candidate, jeering at the NDA, which is yet to do so. 

The limelight of the event, in fact, was on Tejashwi Yadav, who is the Chief Ministerial candidate of the Grand Alliance, to the extent that the manifesto had his face front and centre. Rahul Gandhi appeared on the document almost as an afterthought - his thumbnail image adorning only a corner of the document's cover.