Patna, Oct 21 (IANS): JD(U) state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha on Wednesday criticised RJD National President Lalu Prasad Yadav over the ‘charwaha vidyalaya’ concept associated with his tenure, while highlighting what he described as the NDA government’s focus on expanding higher education infrastructure in Bihar.

Addressing a press conference in Darbhanga after meeting party workers ahead of the MLC election, Kushwaha said the government aimed to ensure that every district had engineering colleges, medical colleges and polytechnic institutes to provide young people with better opportunities for higher education.

Targeting the Mahagathbandhan, Kushwaha alleged that the approach to education during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure differed from the NDA government’s emphasis on technical and professional education.

Referring to the ‘charwaha vidyalaya’ concept, he criticised the RJD’s record on education and contrasted it with what he described as the current government’s development-oriented approach.

Kushwaha claimed that voters were increasingly conscious of issues such as education and development and asserted that the NDA was receiving widespread public support.

He also appealed to voters to support the NDA-backed candidates in the Bihar Legislative Council elections for the Darbhanga Graduates’ and Teachers’ constituencies.

Expressing confidence in the alliance’s prospects, Kushwaha predicted that Ghanshyam Rai, the NDA-backed candidate for the Teachers’ constituency, and Sarvesh Kumar, its candidate for the Graduates’ constituency, would win by substantial margins.

He urged party workers to campaign actively for both candidates.

The remarks came amid campaigning for the two Legislative Council constituencies, with Kushwaha using the occasion to highlight the NDA’s education agenda and criticise the RJD’s record in government.

The campaign for the eight seats in the Bihar Legislative Council (MLC) elections, comprising four teachers’ and four graduates’ constituencies across the Patna, Tirhut, Saran, Darbhanga and Kosi regions, ended at 5 pm on Wednesday.

Polling is scheduled for October 23, while the counting of votes will take place on October 27.

The main contest is expected to be among candidates fielded by the NDA, the RJD, the Congress and Jan Suraaj Party.

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This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.