Bihar: Tejashwi Yadav releases manifesto; hits at BJP's employment promise

While releasing the poll manifesto, Yadav stressed that the party's promise of 10 lakh jobs is genuine.

Yadav said Bihar needs to compete with the national employment average.

"We could also have promised 50 lakh jobs, or one crore jobs, like the BJP or the double engine government," Yadav said, inflating the BJP's poll promise of 19 lakh jobs in Bihar.

The RJD's promise of 10 lakh jobs had invited criticism from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is the CM candidate for the 2020 polls for the Janata Dal (United)-BJP alliance.

Kumar had said, "Why only 10 lakh? If you're giving jobs, then give jobs to everyone."

Kumar had also said that the promise was an impossible one, citing financial constraints for the state budget.

"Where will you get the money to pay the salaries? From the same scam for which you are in jail? Or will you print fake money?" the CM had said, in an apparent reference to Yadav's father, former CM Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is currently behind bars over a corruption scandal.

However, Kumar's remarks seem to have backfired.

Responding to Kumar, Yadav asked Saturday how the BJP intended to find the funds for its employment promise.

"Who is the BJP's CM candidate? Nitish Kumar. He had given up when it came to the promise of 10 lakh jobs asking, 'Where is the money?' Well, then how does the BJP intend to pay (for its promised 19 lakh jobs)?"

The Bihar elections will be held in three phases.

The first phase will be held on October 28 across 71 constituencies. The second phase for 94 constituencies will be held on November 3, followed by the third phase for 78 constituencies on November 7.

The poll results will be declared on November 10.

Bihar has 72 million registered voters, according to the Election Commission.