In an attempt to consolidate his Muslim support base in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has decided to provide free textbooks to students of the minority community and Rs 10,000 to each student of the community who would secure first division in their matriculation board examination. This is the first such scheme in the state.
The decision came just ten days after his two-year-old government announced it will provide compensation to 128 families of the infamous 1989 Bhagalpur riots, who were till now denied compensation.
Nitish Kumar, who made inroads into the Muslim support base of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad during the state assembly polls in 2005, is eyeing to woo Muslims to his side before the next Lok Sabha elections.
