Abki baar 65 paar: Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das on forthcoming assembly elections

Raghubar Das, who is on the verge of becoming the first chief minister to complete a five-year term in once politically-volatile Jharkhand, has set the BJP's target for the assembly polls due later this year - "Abki baar 65 paar".

In the 2014 assembly elections, BJP had won 42 of the 81 seats. BJP and its allies clinched 12 of the 14 seats in this year's Lok Sabha elections. 

"Abki baar painsath (65) paar (This time we will cross 65 seats). There is not an iota of doubt in people giving an absolute mandate to us . We will win by a thumping majority as the message of development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narenda Modi has percolated down to the masses," Jharkhand Chief Minister Das said in an interview.

"Due to the solid foundation of development works, a BJP worker remains ever ready for elections.Whether in Jharkhand or other parts in the country, people have seen and accepted the politics of development under Prime Minister Modi," he said.

Claiming that the opposition 'mahagathbandhan' will come a cropper in the ensuing polls, Das said people of the state including the exploited, the downtrodden, the poor and the Dalits have seen development work and have "outrightly rejected the 'power-hungry' coalition formed with selfish ulterior motives".

The 'mahagathbandhan' managed to bag just two Lok Sabha seats this year -- JMM and Congress bagging one seat each -- while the rest of the alliance Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) failed to win any.

"Jharkhand citizens have shown the mirror to 'mahagathbandhan' in the Lok Sabha elections. They were stumped by NDA's politics of development. This time too they will be given a befitting reply," Das said.

He is set to become the first-ever chief minister of Jharkhand to complete a full-term after its bifurcation from Bihar on November 15, 2000.

"I have complete faith that the double engine government (at the Centre and state) has taken people to the path of development. Now development is reaching to villagers in far-flung areas. Basic necessities like electricity and water have reached inaccessible areas. Youths are getting employment," he claimed. 

Each sector whether infrastructure, agriculture, women empowerment or skill development among the youth, is progressing fast, he said. Elaborating on the welfare schemes, Das said his government has launched the 'Mukhyamantri Sukanya Yojna' under which girls from 26 lakh poor families will be benefited. He said girls belonging to families whose annual income is up to Rs 72,000 will benefit from the scheme six times since birth till they attain the age of 18.

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Likewise, he said, there are several schemes benefiting hundreds of the poor in the state, adding his government has coined a slogan for girls: "Pehle padhai, fir vidai" (Education first, marriage later).

"For the welfare of farmers, we have started 'Mukhyamantri Krishi Ashirwad Yojana' where farmers with an acre of land will get Rs 5,000 and farmers having five acres will get Rs 25,000.

"There would be 35 lakh beneficiaries and the scheme will entail and expenditure of Rs 3,000 crore," he said.

The amount will be transferred to the accounts of farmers.

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