News Accross India, Month of October, 2010

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...n-Nitish-dares-Centre/articleshow/6782992.cms

Stop (funding), if you can: Nitish dares Centre
Faizan Ahmad, TNN, Oct 21, 2010, 03.30am IST

AKHTIARPUR (SAMASTIPUR): When chief minister Nitish Kumar reacts bitterly, he smiles broadly. Reacting to the charge of poor utilization of central funds by PM Manmohan Singh, AICC president Sonia Gandhi and Congress youth icon Rahul Gandhi, Nitish on Wednesday threw the gauntlet and dared the Centre to stop funding Bihar.

"They say they are sending huge amount of funds to Bihar as if they are doing us a favour. They are seeking hisab-kitab' of central assistance and accusing me for non-utilization or poor utilization of the funds," he told an election meeting at this non-descript and dusty village in Sarairanjan constituency.

Challenging the Congress top brass, Nitish said: "If you think you are giving some charity to Bihar, stop it if you can." He said the central assistance to the states is given under constitutional provisions and as per established norms and rules.

Wiping sweat off his face with a gamcha', Nitish blamed the Centre for not helping the state. "For five years Bihar was the victim of Centre's non-cooperation. Now on election eve Congress leaders are trooping here to make tall and false claims," he alleged.

As Nitish stepped out of his chopper on a small field here, about 15 km from Samastipur, a huge crowd raised slogans in his favour. He was welcomed by state JD(U) president Vijay Kumar Chowdhary, who is contesting from this constituency.

During his 30-minute-long speech, Nitish did not name any of his rivals __ neither the central leaders nor RJD chief Lalu Prasad. But he tried to turn the table on the Congress by saying if Bihar remained backward, the Congress should be credited for this.

"Congress ruled Bihar for 40 years and supported Pat-Patni' party for seven years. I get only five years to serve," he said and added he deserved to get another five years.

"My five years were spent counting the heads of people living below poverty line. Finally, I counted them and their number is 1.25 crore. But the Centre is not ready to go beyond 65 lakh," Nitish said.

He continued, "The grains rotted in godowns but the Centre did not heed to our demand for grains on subsdised rate for the poor."

The crowd, which waited for the CM for about two hours under the sun,

cheered and clapped. There was only one shamiana. Chowdhary alleged that administration did not allow him to erect more shamianas.

Chowdhary hit out at his predecessor Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lalan calling him "unfaithful".

A day earlier Lalan, a JD(U) MP, campaigned in Sarairanjan for Congress candidate and criticised Chowdhary's selection as his successor. Lalan, the rebel MP from Munger, is stumping in favour of Congress. But, he has not yet resigned from the JD(U).

Chowdhary said, "If he has a little morality left, he should first resign from the party and then from the Lok Sabha. He contested and won Lok Sabha polls in the name of Nitish."

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...e-for-plight-of-Bihar/articleshow/6782989.cms

CPI says Cong equally responsible for plight of Bihar
Arun Kumar, TNN, Oct 21, 2010, 03.31am IST


PATNA: CPI general secretary Ardhendu Bhushan Bardhan said on Wednesday that the Congress party has no moral right to talk about development of Bihar as it has ruled this state single handedly for 40 long years and is responsible for its neglect and backwardness.

He lashed out at the the Congress leaders for talking about Central fund given to the state for development schemes as if this fund came from their personal account. He said that such an attitude of Congress leaders will only intensify the Centre-state conflict and is bound to affect the federal structure of the country. Bardhan also held the Congress responsible for skyrocketing prices and said it is only the Left parties and trade unions who are fighting on this issue.

The CPI leader said that the NDA, RJD-LJP and the Congress had ruled the state and are equally responsible for the plight of Bihar. No one could claim to be the champion of development of the state.

Bardhan said that but for 50 percent reservation for the women in panchayat raj institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies (ULBs), the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government could not claim much as far as working for the development of Bihar goes. "In Nitish regime the state has miserably failed on the front of power generation, which has gone down to eight percent. Similarly, neither any closed industry could be revived nor any new industry was set up during the last five years of NDA rule," he said. "Not even a single IT industry was set up in Nitish regime," the CPI general secretary said.

Talking about Lalu-Paswan alliance's claims on development front, Bardhan simply dismissed it saying there is no point in talking about that.

Bardhan also requested the Election Commission to declare sponsored poll surveys as an electoral offence.

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...drastic-land-reforms-/articleshow/6782988.cms

CPM promises to bring in drastic land reforms
TNN, Oct 21, 2010, 03.32am IST

PATNA: The three partners of the Left alliance will agitate for implementation of the recommendations of the D Bandopadyaya Commission on land reforms.

Releasing the manifesto of the CPM here on Wednesday, its state secretary, Vijaykant Thakur, said that the Left alliance would also ask the government to bring in drastic land reforms on the pattern on Tripura, West Bengal and Kerala.

He claimed, "In our manifesto, the Left parties have given alternative agenda against neo-liberalism and measures to check communalism and casteism. The objective is to create a new political polarization of Left forces with focus on land reforms."

The Left has also demanded distribution of surplus land among the landless and poor. The Left will also seek measures for agriculture development and scientific farming to improve the economic condition of the farmers.

Giving stress on food security, the manifesto of the CPM promises distribution of 35 kgs rice every month at the rate of Rs 2 per kg to the poor and making uninterrupted supply of kerosene and sugar.

The manifesto recommends 33 percent reservations for women in state legislature and strong measures to prevent atrocities against women.

Meanwhile, in a statement, CPI(ML) general secretary Deepankar Bhattacharya in a statement reacted sharply to the manifesto of the JD(U) and regretted the recommendations of Bandopadyaya Commission have been put in the cold storage by CM Nitish Kumar. He said the NDA was silent on land reforms and like Amir Das Commission and Mahadalit Commission, the Bandopadyaya Commission's recommendations too were ignored.

Bhattacharya said, "Bihar can progress only through land reforms. There is sharp decline in agriculture production in the last five years."

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...Poor-still-poor-Rahul/articleshow/6789627.cms

What development? Poor still poor: Rahul
Priti Nath Jha, Shyam Kishore Singh & S K Jain, TNN, Oct 22, 2010, 12.16am IST

MUZAFFARPUR/SITAMARHI/SAMASTIPUR: AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Bihar's Nitish Kumar government with ignoring the interests of the poor while spending Central funds.

"Instead of guaranteed employment for 100 days in a year as prescribed in the MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), poor labourers in the state's rural areas are given 30 days' job and the rest of the work is done with machines. Poor families have got Indira Awaas Yojana money only after paying graft. Irregularities in the preparation of BPL (below poverty line) lists are galore," the Amethi MP told election meetings in Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi and Samastipur districts.

He claimed the Centre provided Rs 1 lakh crore to Bihar during the last five years, which is double the amount the state deserved. "The Central funds would continue to flow to the state because there is no shortage of funds with the UPA government. But the amount must be spent honestly for the benefit of the poor for whom it is intended," he said and added one cannot think of India's development without ensuring economic progress of Bihar.

"I would have himself praised the Nitish government had there been any positive economic development in the state. But there has been no change in the lifestyle of the poor," he said.

The Congress' youth icon also attempted to strike an emotional chord with minority voters by disputing Nitish's secular credentials. Though Nitish does not allow saffron party leaders to campaign in Bihar, the fact remains that he has partnered with BJP to remain in power, he said.

He said Biharis are being attacked by Shiv Sena volunteers in Maharashtra and the Sena continues to be a constituent of the NDA. Such contradictions are possible only in the NDA. "To the Congress, the entire nation is for Biharis. They can go to any part of the country," he said.

The Congress leader said his party is fighting Bihar election all alone with an aim to make a casteless and secular society in the state. "We will overcome the initial difficulties and succeed in wining people's heart," he said and criticised the RJD and LJP for dividing people along caste lines.

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...elhis-Nirvachan-Sadan/articleshow/6783845.cms

Live polling webcast in Delhi's Nirvachan Sadan
Pooja Kashyap & Alok Chamaria, TNN, Oct 21, 2010, 03.17am IST

PATNA: What's the novelty of Bihar assembly election? Webcasting, which will enable the Chief Election Commissioner to watch the polling live on LCD screens while sitting in the Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi.

"As many as 15 polling stations can be monitored at the click of a button at one go," an Election Commission of India (ECI) official said and added polling in more than 550 of the 10,868 booths would be webcast live in the first phase when 47 constituencies would go to the polls on Thursday.

"We had earlier mulled covering 20% of the booths in each constituency but that could not happen for want of broadband connectivity in interiors," the official said and added arrangements have been made for similar screenings in the office of the chief electoral officer in Patna and district election officers in their offices in respective district HQ.

High-speed servers have been put in place and trained personnel equipped with laptops and webcams deputed at the selected booths for the purpose. Electricity department officials have been asked to ensure uninterrupted power supply to these booths. Gensets have been installed in places where power availability is a problem.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu-cadre IAS official V Raghav Reddy visited the state and conducted a workshop-cum-demo on webcasting for Bihar officials. The young official has the credit of introducing webcasting for the first time in the country in Tuticorin district.

Webcasting was earlier used in one assembly segment of Basti in UP and a few polling stations of Arunachal Pradesh.

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Muslim-votes-divided-in-Jale/articleshow/6789646.cms

Muslim votes divided in Jale
Faizan Ahmad & Binay K Jha, TNN, Oct 22, 2010, 04.21am IST

JALE (DARBHANGA): Septuagenarian political activist Ram Sundar Yadav sits near the RJD election office at Singhwara. But he says he has little interest in elections and today s politics.

Yadav said. Yadav had worked as local representative of former assembly speaker Ghulam Sarwar who repre-sented Keoti assembly constituency.

Following delimitation, five panchayats of Singhwara block have been shifted from Keoti to Jale. Though this is a Muslim-dominated constitu-ency, this seat went to the BJP in seat-sharing formula between the NDA allies. Vijay Kumar Mishra (BJP) is once again trying his luck from here. He was defeated by RJD s Ramnivas Prasad by a narrow margin of 200 votes in the last elections.

Mishra, a former MP and son of the late Lalit Narayan Mishra, has pinned hope for his victory on chief minister Nitish Kumar.

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...Left-in-polls-Yechury/articleshow/6789628.cms

Good prospect for Left in polls: Yechury
Ravi Dayal, TNN, Oct 22, 2010, 12.16am IST

PATNA: CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury on Thursday said the Left Front -- CPM, CPI and CPI(ML) -- would increase its strength in Bihar assembly after the elections to become the "voice of the people" to highlight the problems facing them.

Having campaigned in East Champaran, Samastipur and Saran districts, Yechury said the prospects of the Left Front in the assembly polls was good. He said the main issues at this juncture is "shining" India and "suffering" India.

The main focus of the Left Front at the hustings is to raise the issue of suffering of Bihar with special emphasis on food security and land reforms measures according to Bandyopadhyaya Commission report. At least 53 billionires in India have control over the one-fourth of the GDP, he said.

Yechury said Rs 1,000 crore provided to Bihar every year following creation of Jharkhand, should be utilised for food security for the suffering millions in Bihar.

He said the Left Front has campaigned for providing Rs 2 per kg grain to BPL families. Availability of grains for both BPL and APL families, as being given in Kerala, is important and the left front is focussing on this in its campaign. He said the state government had not distributed the Bhoodan land in Bihar to the landless so far.

Yechury said the roads leading to district headquarters in Bihar are good but the roads leading to remote villages are still in bad shape.

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/55-turn-out-to-vote-peacefully/articleshow/6789630.cms

55% turn out to vote peacefully
Law Kumar Mishra & Gyan Prakash, TNN, Oct 22, 2010, 12.16am IST

PATNA: Infamous for all the wrong reasons, Biharis did an encore of sorts when they voted in 47 constituencies on Thursday -- peacefully a la November 2005 assembly elections. And in what is being described by many as an indicator of growing voter awareness, the polling percentage went up to 55% -- from 46% in 2005 in these constituencies.

"It was an incident-free day," chief electoral officer Sudhir Kumar Rakesh said and added calculations were still on and the voter turnout percentage may go up.

DGP Neelmani said only 161 people had to be arrested. A lone candidate -- JD-U's Neeraj Kumar Babloo -- was booked for manhandling a presiding officer in his Chhatapur constituency in Supaul district.

Nine incidents of poll boycott were reported. The boycott was attributed to "lack of development", said an official press release.

Rakesh thanked the political parties and candidates for ensuring peaceful polling. He described the voter turnout as "excellent". "It was due to the relaxed norms which allowed voters to vote even if there were minor errors in the electoral rolls and/or photo ID-cards," he said and added allowing all the eligible members of a family to vote on the basis of the photo ID-card of one of them also helped voters vote in larger numbers.

Rakesh also thanked the security forces for taking "unprecedented" measures, including aerial patrolling, to instil a sense of confidence among the voters. "This too contributed to heavy turnout," he said.

Madhubani district recorded 52% polling, Supaul 53%, Araria 53%, Kishanganj 57%, Katihar 57%, Madhepura 52% and Saharsa 57%. In a tragic incident, the presiding officer of booth no 123 at Pranpur in Katihar district died following a heart attack, Rakesh said and added the polling process was not interrupted.

Babloo allegedly manhandled the presiding officer at booth no 177. "We have lodged a case against the JD(U) candidate who will be arrested soon," the DGP said. Bablu is reportedly absconding.

The polls were boycotted at booth no 113, 114 (Benipatti), 178 (Rajnagar), 173 and 174 (Alamnagar), 226 (Sonebersa), 192 (Jokihat) and 104 (Bahadurganj).

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-on-phase-I-poll-duty/articleshow/6789644.cms

81K pairs of boots on phase-I poll duty
Pooja Kashyap, TNN, Oct 22, 2010, 12.25am IST

PATNA: It was not for nothing that the polling in 47 constituencies of the state on Thursday passed off peacefully and the voter turnout went up from 46% in last assembly elections to 55%: the security bandobast for the day involved at least 81,000 pairs of boots.

"A record 82% of the 8,068 polling locations were covered by Central para military forces," a top election official said and added 373 companies of the Central forces, each comprising 100 personnel, were on the job at these locations.

Altogether 4,216 polling locations were ticked off as critical, 3,744 as non-critical and another 108 as Naxal locations. As many as 126, 235 and 12 companies of Central forces were deployed at these locations, respectively.

At least 46 companies of Bihar Military Police were also deployed for Thursday's polling. Besides, 5,264 officers of District Armed Police (DAP), 428 promoted ASIs, 19,022 constables and 14,670 homeguards were also pressed into action in the Araria, Katihar, Kishanganj, Madhepura, Madhubani, Saharsa, Supaul and Purnia districts which went to the polls in the first phase.

According to sources, the remaining five phases of polling would also be held amid "unprecedented security bandobast". Forces mobilized for the purpose would reach their destination latest by October 22, 25, 29, November 5 and 16 for the remaining phases, respectively.

Dedicated transport has been lined up for the forces. For instance, BMP has been provided two buses, one truck and one small/light vehicle for each of its companies while one bus has been provided for 40 DAP constables.

The Special Auxiliary Police, raised by the Nitish Kumar government to take on Maoists, was kept off the poll duty at the EC's behest.

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...s-cops-voters-on-toes/articleshow/6789665.cms

Bomb scare keeps cops, voters on toes
Alok K N Mishra, TNN, Oct 22, 2010, 12.35am IST

PATNA: Sending a strong signal to mischief mongers in Bihar, the state police administration has planned to apply advanced techniques to deal with such elements.

Polling in 47 constituencies in the first phase concluded with no major untoward incidents being reported. More than 500 quintals of explosives were recovered from different districts across the state. A sense of apprehension prevails because of fatal bomb explosions in previous polls. "As a confidence-building measure and also to ensure foolproof security, the existing disposal system has been strengthened," additional director general (HQ), P K Thakur, informed TOI.

"Along with keeping the system robust, officials are also keeping a close watch on developments on mischief mongers," said Thakur, adding, "Maoists are using sophisticated weapons. It is imperative, we take measures stronger than what they may be trying to apply."

It is easy to diffuse crude bombs. Just put them in pots filled with water. But recent incidents of use of Improvised Explosive Devises (IED) have surfaced. A senior police officer acknowledged that mischief mongers were now using remote-controlled bombs.

Apprehensive over the use of IEDs, which senior police officers fear could be used to influence poll prospects of political parties and candidates, the police administration has equipped its bomb disposal squads with new devices.

Bomb disposal teams are deputed at every BMP unit. Apart from this, sub-inspector level officers, who undergo training at NSG (National Security Guard) and BSF (Border Security Forces) units, are also available at all police stations.

Blasting machines, electronic stethoscope, gas guns, chemical kits for detection of explosives, wire and cable locators, water cannons, prodders, mobile bombs, sealed RSP tool kits and zoom binoculars are some of the equipment at the disposal of the bomb squad.

Thakur said additions have been made to the bomb squads' strengths in view of the elections. He, however, refused to make names and categories of devices public as that would give an idea of the strength of the police to criminals and extremists.

"We are unable to speak much on this issue for the sake of privacy. All that I can say is, we have an adequate number of police personnel and special squads, too," said Thakur, adding, "apart from the existing powers to police stations, we have a separate squad which can be rushed to any place anytime."

Bihar police, however, still lack advanced bomb suits connected with a control room. Special deployment of bomb disposal squads has also been made in Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Sheohar, Sitamarhi and Darbhanga districts which are scheduled to go to the polls in the second phase on October 24.

Superintendent of police, Muzaffarpur, Sunil Kumar, informed TOI that a special wing was tasked with detecting and disposing bombs. SPs of other districts echoed Kumar.

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-Cong-carpet-bombing-/articleshow/6789621.cms

BJP unaffected by Cong carpet bombing'
Abhay Singh, TNN, Oct 22, 2010, 12.15am IST

PATNA: It is an unceasing spat between the BJP and Congress on the voting behaviour of people and consequent poll outcome. Call it smugness of the BJP or whatever, the party, as far as public consumption is concerned, is just not overly concerned about the brisk campaign launched by the Congress top brass.

The top Congress campaigners who have flown over Bihar in the last ten days include UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi. Prior to them, it was also AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh.

The BJP had been quick in unleashing its own battery of leaders. No less than BJP national president Nitin Gadkari, who campaigned for his party candidates on Thursday in the districts going to polls in the second and third phase, explained his party's thinking on the Congresss stakes.

He said, "Both mother (Sonia) and son (Rahul) duo might apply as much force as they can. They can also stay here for a month to huff and puff for their candidates, but their "poora bhram" (entire illusion) will be clear at the end of their stay."

The dismissive stance of Gadkari towards the Congress is understandable. For, the NDA had bagged as many as 143 of the 243 seats in the 2005 October-November state assembly elections. In the last five years, the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government, by Gadkari's admission, has something concrete to plume its feathers: improved law and order, and improved growth rate of 11%.

"During the rule of Lalu Prasad-led RJD, the growth rate of the state had touched its nadir of negative 0.5%. People, even visitors from outside, now feel safe to move in the state," he said.

Gadkari, while calling Bihar's growth rate story "remarkable and historic", added that the development plank of the NDA had replaced the "casteist formula" and caste equations with which the political parties entered the poll fray in the past. "The casteist formula will not work. Development is the issue this time," he said, and appealed to people to give second term to the NDA government for improved infrastructure and other developments.

While the Congress is contesting all the 243 assembly seats alone, the BJP and JD(U) have shared 102 and 141 seats between them respectively.

At the state BJP headquarters, the party leaders kept their fingers crossed, since they were not clear about the voting behaviour of the people at the booths. "One can't predict anything at this stage," a BJP leader said, adding: "One has to wait."

It is here that the BJP's fears inhere. For, any rise in the stock of the Congress would, by implication, cut into the votes of both the NDA and RJD-LJP combine. The level of the Congress penetration into their vote shares, if any, cannot be quantified. At present, Gadkari and the party's other leaders, including former BJP president Venkaiah Naidu, are engaged in ensuring that the BJP stock does not go bearish and lose in the poll market for the state's assembly.

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...puty-registrar-killed/articleshow/6789622.cms

Patna HC retired deputy registrar killed
Oct 22, 2010, 12.15am IST

Unidentified criminals stabbed a retired deputy registrar, Patna high court, Jai Narayan Rai to death at his Punaichak residence under the Shastrinagar police station in Patna on Thursday evening.

Though the family members rushed him to Kurji Holy Family Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries midway. City SP Manu Maharaj said the deceased's family members claimed that Rai was shot dead.

Everything would be clear only after the post-mortem, he said.

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...y-helping-NDA-Jaitley/articleshow/6795833.cms

Nitish's credibility helping NDA: Jaitley
Abhay Singh, TNN, Oct 23, 2010, 12.35am IST

PATNA: Leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said on Friday the credibility factor of CM Nitish Kumar, NDA government and its overall leadership would help the ruling alliance return to power in Bihar with "bahut hi spashta (very, very clear)" majority.

The NDA had won 143 seats in the 2005 October-November elections. "After a very successful performance by the government over the last five years, the credibility of the NDA government and its leadership has come in the reckoning of people," Jaitley said, adding: "Whatever field reports we have got from BJP and JD(U) (on the first phase of polls) have been encouraging for us."

According to him, the campaigning for the 2005 assembly elections were held in a "negative atmosphere" as the people were fed up with the 15-year rule of Lalu Prasad. He said the present campaign was being conducted by the NDA leadership on a positive note.

"Aspirational politics of people is on our agenda," Jaitley said, adding that the NDA has created a "positive atmosphere" as it went ahead its development agenda, thereby, improving the image of the leadership.

Jaitley, who was here to make an assessment of the prospects of the NDA candidates in fray during the first phase of polls, said the alliance's advantage was that its government had performed well.

"Besides, we have changed the political agenda of Bihar," he said, adding:

"Every class of society has participated in the state's development process."

On the Congress's poll campaign in the state, he said, "It is typical example of a campaign without any agenda. Its leaders don't give lectures. They just read from texts. They have run out of ideas on all fronts __ on country's security affairs and the Kashmir situation."

Referring to the Congress's claim that the Centre had been providing assistance and pumping in money into the state, Jaitley said the "problem" with the Congress is that it considers state's share into taxes netted from tax-payers as "its private property".

Refusing to take note of the Congress in the state's poll fray, he said, "The Congress is a fringe party in Bihar. It stands in a corner and is only a tail of RJD in the state."

 

[Pintu]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6832221.cms

Bihar ruined in last 20 yrs, says Sonia
Rajiv Kumar & Kumar Rajesh, TNN, Oct 29, 2010, 03.43am IST


BEGUSARAI/BHAGALPUR: "Haathi ke daant khane ke aur, dikhane ke aur," (a Hindi idiom meaning some people are not what they appear to be) said Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday as she questioned afresh the secular credentials of "opportunist" JD-U leader Nitish Kumar who has partnered with BJP to become chief minister.

Addressing massive election meetings at Begusarai and Bhagalpur's Nathnagar, the Congress leader exhorted people to vote the NDA out of power and pave the way for formation of a Congress government in the state. " Bihar needs a change in the government for fast development," she said.

She said though the UPA government allotted several thousand crore rupees for various welfare schemes such as MNREGA, Indira Awaas and mid-day meal, development was not visible on the ground. The Nitish government failed to properly implement the Central government schemes, she said and held the state governments during the last 20 years responsible for a decline in the irrigation system and power generation.

At Nathnagar, the Rae Bareli MP said Bhagalpur is famous for Tassar silk and other products worldwide. "But power crisis has spelt doom for the silk industry," she said, adding the state government did nothing to improve the power situation.

"The NDA promised the moon before the last elections but as they failed to deliver, they developed the habit of blaming the Centre for all their failures," the UPA chairperson said.