The Congress on Sunday said the BJP must give an account for the delay of releasing Rs 1.36 lakh crore to Jharkhand in the form of pending coal royalties before seeking votes from the people.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed the Centre owes Jharkhand lakhs of crores of rupees in coal royalties and central scheme benefits.

In Jharkhand, coal mines are operated by subsidiaries of the Coal India Limited which owe huge sums of money to the state government, he claimed.

There is an outstanding of Rs 1,01,142 crore for "non-payment of land compensation", Rs 32,000 crore under "common cause dues" head, and Rs 2,500 crore under "washed coal royalty" head, the Congress leader said.

Questioning the Jharkhand unit of the BJP, he asked why it failed to secure funds for the state and why was the prime minister silent.

"Why has the non-biological PM failed to release these funds? Is step-motherly treatment being administered to Jharkhand for voting for the JMM-INC alliance? Why is the state BJP leadership unable to secure any funds for the State?" Ramesh asked in a post on X

"Before seeking a single vote from the people of Jharkhand, the BJP must provide an account for this delay in the release of 1.36 lakh crores to the state," the Congress leader said.

Jharkhand goes to polls in two phases on November 13 and 20. The BJP is seeking to wrest power from the ruling coalition of JMM and the Congress in the state.

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