Oppn manifesto set to counter NDA’s ‘jungle raj’ charges

THE MANIFESTO WILL FOCUS ON LAW AND ORDER, POLICE REFORMS AND A BALANCED APPROACH TO RECRUITMENT OF POLICE OFFICERS

- Saubhadra Chatterji

For years now, the terms ‘sushasan” (good governance) and “jungle raj” have come to be associated with election campaigns in Bihar, with the former being touted as the big plus point of the Janata Dal (United) under Nitish Kumar and the latter, the big problem with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) under Lalu Prasad.

It’s a charge, the RJD, and the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) of which it is a part of, have never been able to fully fight off — but the grouping, which also includes the Congress, the Left parties, and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), claims to have a plan to do so this year, according to two senior leaders. The plan, they added on condition of anonymity, includes police reforms and a ‘more balanced approach to police recruitment.