The Congress-led coalition at the Centre came under attack from Bharatiya Janata Party chief ministers at the party's national convention in Mumbai Wednesday when it was accused of giving a step-motherly treatment to their states.
Leaders, who included Arjun Munda of Jharkhand and Raman Singh of Chattisgarh and Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi also targeted the Congress and their allies like the Lalu Prasad Yadav-ruled Rashtriya Janata Dal.
They charged the Centre with "inordinate delays" in releasing funds for developmental works as also in providing power from the central pool.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Modi said that Bihar stood devastated like hit by "15 tsunamis" in the 15-year-rule of Lalu Prasad.
The exercise was meant to emphasise the good governance card of the saffron party, which by the admission of its president Lal Kishenchand Advani, was passing through a "bad patch".
Accusing the Centre of creating hurdles in the formation of the BJP-led government in Jharkhand, Chief Minister Munda said the intervention by the Supreme Court ensured formation of BJP's government in the state, "but as a result we are facing the ire of the Central government, which has even tried to pause the World Bank funding allotted to various projects in the state".
Munda also charged United Progressive Alliance government with causing delay in work of the Prime Minister's Highway Project in the state.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said the central government was stalling the work of proposed the All India Medical Institute in the state.
"The day we formed our government in the state, around 300 MW of power supply was transferred to some other state. Some railway projects are also been intentionally delayed. However, we are taking up these issues with people of the state," he said.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the 10-year rule of Congress led by Digvijay Singh was marked by the dubious distinction of lack of development. "Not a single kilometer of road was built, not a single mega watt power generation was added during Congress rule. Madhya Pradesh became a destination of no development," he said.
Orissa Minister Vishnu Bhushan expressed concern over the issue of deportation of Bangladeshi Hindu migrants in the state.
