Na bijli ayegi na bill: BJP leader mocks ally Nitish Kumar's free electricity promise
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s recent announcement of free electricity has sparked political reactions, with Uttar Pradesh Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma taking a dig at the announcement, saying there will be “no electricity, no bill,” implying that the scheme is meaningless without consistent power supply.
Just days ago, Nitish Kumar promised that from August 1, all households in Bihar would receive 125 units of electricity free each month. The initiative is expected to benefit around 1.67 crore families and comes in the lead-up to the Bihar Assembly elections expected later this year.
However, during a media interaction, UP’s Energy and Urban Development Minister responded with a pointed remark, stating, “Electricity will be free in Bihar, but that will only be possible if there is power supply. If there is no power supply in the state, it will be free anyways. There will be no electricity, no power bills.”
His comment, "Na bijli aayegi, na bill aayega" (Neither electricity will come, nor will the bill), was a direct jab at the feasibility of the promise, drawing attention to Bihar’s longstanding issues with inconsistent electricity supply.
The UP minister’s sarcastic remark on Nitish Kumar’s free electricity promise quickly fueled political backlash, with the Congress seizing the moment to target the NDA. The party shared a social media post combining Kumar’s announcement with Sharma’s jibe, using it to question the credibility of the alliance’s poll promises.
ये तो खेला हो गया 😜 pic.twitter.com/fWG09sYPPp
— Congress (@INCIndia) July 19, 2025
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Mamata visits Bhabanipur EVM strong room, warns against counting irregularities
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday warned against any attempt to tamper with the counting process, hours after she visited an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur, alleging possible malpractice.
Banerjee, who emerged around 12:07 am after spending nearly four hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency housed in Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, said only one person would be allowed inside the designated counting area.
"Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of a CCTV camera for the media," she told reporters.
Stressing the need for transparency, she said, "It is essential to maintain transparency. People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter."
Sounding a stern note ahead of the May 4 counting, she added, "If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated."
On Thursday evening, Banerjee had reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre, which houses the strong room for EVMs used in the April 29 polling, citing suspicion of tampering with the machines.
She entered the premises along with her election agent and remained inside for hours, even as Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate from the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim reached the spot but could not meet her.
"I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside," Hakim said.
The development coincided with protests by TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, where they staged a sit-in alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored in strong rooms, leading to face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil on EVM strong rooms, alleging that the BJP could attempt to tamper with the machines before counting begins.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tension in the state following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with parties closely monitoring arrangements and raising concerns over transparency.
