BJP defends free vaccine promise in Bihar manifesto, cites importance of public health

On Thursday, BJP's Bihar in-charge Bhupender Yadav lashed out at the opposition parties for their criticism of his party's promise of free COVID-19 vaccination in the poll manifesto. He clarified that the newly-elected NDA government will provide the vaccine made available by the Centre to the people free of cost. Advising political parties to be sensitive about health issues, he defended the inclusion of this promise in the manifesto.

Maintaining that every party goes into the election with several promises, he maintained that there was nothing wrong in prioritising a public health issue. Earlier in the day, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman revealed that large scale production of vaccine would commence after scientists give a go-ahead. She mentioned that free COVID-19 vaccination was the first promise in BJP's manifesto for the Bihar polls. Mocking this announcement, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi alleged that free vaccination is a false promise. 

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Unveiling BJP's Bihar poll manifesto, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman remarked, "After going through three phases, 3 vaccines in India have reached the last stage. Thereafter, if scientists give a go-ahead to the production of the vaccine, we have a capacity for large-scale production due to the encouragement of the government. When the scientists give their approval, the level of vaccine production will be so high ensuring that everyone in Bihar will get vaccinated for free. This is our first promise in the manifesto."

Read: Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi Tests Positive For COVID-19; Admitted To AIIMS Patna

Bihar Assembly election

The Bihar Assembly has a strength of 243 members out of which 38 seats are reserved for SC and two for ST. In the 2015 state polls, the Mahagatbandhan comprising RJD, JD(U) and Congress won a whopping majority with 178 seats under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. On the other hand, the BJP-led alliance won from only 58 constituencies. On July 26, 2017, Nitish Kumar stepped down as the CM citing irreconcilable differences with RJD over corruption allegations against Tejashwi Yadav and joined hands with its former ally BJP.

The upcoming Assembly election will be held in 3 phases- October 28, November 3 and November 7.  To decongest polling stations, the voting time has been increased by one hour. Thus, people will be able to cast their votes from 7 am to 6 pm barring for the areas affected by Left-wing extremism. The counting of votes will take place on November 10. 

Read: Bihar Elections: No Confusion In BJP On Nitish Kumar As CM Face, Says Ravi Shankar Prasad