BHAGALPUR/KHAGARIA, Sept. 26 -- Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday laid foundation stones and inaugurated multiple development projects worth Rs.820 crore in Bhagalpur and Khagaria districts, besides unveiling life-size statues of two leaders-Congress veteran and former Bihar Assembly Speaker Sadanand Singh, and former chief minister Satish Prasad Singh. Taking a swipe at the Lalu-Rabri regime, Kumar reiterated that his government had been working for people across all sections of society, unlike the previous dispensation that, he alleged, only served its own family. He further promised that his government would provide employment to one crore people in the next five years and reaffirmed his commitment to uplift all communities. Kumar also interacted with locals, including ASHA workers, assuring them of full cooperation in the coming days. In Bhagalpur's Arar-Dhuave village under Sanhaula block, the chief minister launched 59 development projects worth Rs.301 crore. This included 43 projects worth Rs.141.99 crore inaugurated on the spot, and the laying of foundation stones for 16 projects worth Rs.159.71 crore. Earlier, Kumar unveiled the life-size statue of Sadanand Singh at Dhuave village. Singh, a senior Congress leader, remained active in state politics from 1969 until his death on September 8, 2021. He represented the Kahalgaon Assembly constituency nine times, served as Bihar Assembly Speaker, and held ministerial posts in state governments. In 2020, his son Shubhanand Mukesh contested from Kahalgaon on a Congress ticket but lost to BJP's Pawan Kumar Yadav. The chief minister also visited departmental stalls, interacted with beneficiaries, and reviewed the implementation of various welfare schemes. Key projects inaugurated in Bhagalpur included the construction of a rail overbridge (ROB) between Naugachia and Kataria by the road construction department at a cost of Rs.41.66 crore, an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) worth Rs.9.39 crore, model double-storey prefab structures, and irrigation infrastructure valued at Rs.10.09 crore. In Khagaria, Kumar launched 256 development projects worth Rs.519.66 crore. He also unveiled the life-size statue of former chief minister Satish Prasad Singh at Satishnagar under Parbatta block. At Koshi Inter School, Pansalwa, in Beldaur constituency, he laid the foundation stones for 134 projects worth Rs.239.81 crore and inaugurated 114 projects worth Rs.279.85 crore. These included new panchayat buildings, playgrounds, community halls, and model structures. An exhibition by various government departments was also held on the premises of the Other Backward Class Girls' Residential 10+2 School. Under the 'Beneficiary Dialogue 2025' initiative, several topics were discussed with beneficiaries....