Nitish blames UPA policies for price rise

"I don't subscribe to Pawar's charge about inability of states to control skyrocketing prices of essential commodities. Whenever the Congress came to power at the Centre, it gifted the nation with uncontrolled price rise," Kumar told reporters here.

Accusing Pawar of making such statements out of sheer frustration following the Centre's "failure" to control rising prices, the Chief Minister claimed that previous NDA government had taken all possible measures to check spiralling prices.

"We are undertaking a drive against hoarding and black marketers are being penalised. We have left no stone unturned to reach food grains to the people despite soaring prices of essential commodities," Kumar said.

"Our efforts will take time and it is my advice that the faulty policies of the Union Ministry responsible for the present mess can be controlled with proper care to food security," Kumar said.

Referring to Gujarat government's decision to make voting for municipal corporations, municipalities and village panchayats compulsory, Kumar said "the Constitution had given the liberty to the states to implement its own policies. No wrong has been done in taking this decision."

"Even Bihar adopted a novel way of providing 50 per cent reservation to women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and urban bodies and other states are following it as a role model," he said.