Ex-Bihar CM Rabri Devi stages protest demanding free power, cheaper gas, social security for women

Patna: Former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi on Monday staged a demonstration outside the state legislative council to press for demands, including cheaper cooking gas, free electricity, and social security for women.

The RJD leader staged the protest outside the Vidhan Parishad along with party colleagues, barely a couple of hours before tabling of the budget by Nitish Kumar government in the assembly.

"The government must provide poor women with a monthly stipend of Rs 2,500, besides subsidising cooking gas further so that people can get a cylinder for Rs 500, instead of the current rate of Rs 1,200," the former CM, who is the leader of the opposition in the upper house, said.

"The government must also announce 200 units of free power every month. We will put pressure on the ruling side for these demands," she said.

Notably, on Sunday, the demands were also raised at a press conference addressed by her son Tejashwi Yadav, who is a former deputy CM and the leader of the opposition in the state assembly.

Yadav, who is the "face" of the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan, had also vowed that if the NDA government fails to announce these sops in the budget, which will be the last ahead of the assembly polls due later this year, "we will do the needful upon forming next government in Bihar".