Patna (Bihar) [India], October 20 : Regarding the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly elections, Janata Dal-United (JDU) MLC Dr Khalid Anwar stated that while the party had initially wanted to contest more seats, it ultimately decided to contest only two to prioritise the state's development.
Speaking to ANI, Anwar said, "The Jharkhand elections are very important for us. We wanted to contest more seats, but for the state's growth, we made a sacrifice and decided to contest just two seats. This time, the people are in favour of the NDA."
Elections for the 81 seats of the Jharkhand Assembly are being held in two phases, on November 13 and November 20, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 23.
When asked about the arrest of IAS officer Sanjeev Hans by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in a money laundering case, Anwar emphasised Nitish Kumar's firm stance on corruption, crime, and communalism. He said that if Hans is found guilty, the government will not protect him.
"Nitish Kumar has always upheld the principle of no compromise on corruption, crime, and communalism. It is well known that the properties of more than three dozen officers have been seized so far. Another officer has been arrested, and if he is proven guilty, the government will not shield him. We fully support any agency working to eliminate corruption," the MLC stated.
Commenting on Union Minister Giriraj Singh's 'Hindu Swabhiman Yatra', launched to protect 'dharma' and unite Hindus, Anwar expressed his relief that the BJP had distanced itself from Giriraj's extremist ideologies.
"I am grateful that the BJP has distanced itself from Giriraj's extremist views. They have demonstrated that Bihar is a land of brotherhood and cannot be governed by such ideologies. If you think you can divide Bihar through this Yatra, remember that this is Nitish Kumar's government, and no one will be spared if there are attempts to divide the party," he said.
Anwar also added that the BJP leadership is capable of taking action against Giriraj, and his activities are being closely monitored.
"I am pleased that the BJP has heeded Nitish Kumar's advice. They are fully capable of taking action against Giriraj, and his activities are being observed at a micro level. The BJP will soon distance itself from him," Anwar concluded.