By Rahil Nora Chopra
The political temperature is soaring in Bihar as the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government has set a deadline of 2025 for the ongoing installation of pre-paid smart electricity meters across the state, which, in turn, has led to a massive row, causing protests from the Opposition parties. RJD held sit-ins and marches across the state against the Nitish government’s move, alleging that it was aimed at providing benefits to some power companies and extorting money from consumers. NDA government has rejected the Opposition’s allegations, with CM Nitish accusing it of allegedly communicating malice and disinformation among the people about smart meters”. Meanwhile, flood victims blocked Saharsa-Darbhanga road in Bihar and raised anti-government slogans to protest against what they called the Nitish Kumar dispensation’s apathy towards providing relief material. Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav criticised both Bihar CM Nitish and PM Narendra Modi over their handling of the recent flood crisis in North Bihar.
