Gaya, Nov 16: Defence Minister George Fernandes today held the Congress responsible for failing to check the violence in bihar and Assam trigerred by alleged assault on Bihari students by locals in Assam during Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) examination on November 9. "While the Congress is in power in Assam, it is a coalition partner in Rabri Devi ministry in Bihar. It should take responsibility for violence in the two states," the Janata Dal (United) president said while addressing an election rally in Barachhati in support of JD(U) candidate Rajesh Kumar.

In an apparent dig at Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the JD(U) leader said "the Congress does not even have an India-born leader to lead the party".
The MP from Nalanda charged the RJD-Congress government for the 'worsening law and order situation' in Bihar and blamed it for doing precious little for its growth.

Asserting that recent merger of Samata and JD(U) had made them stronger against the RJD, Fernandes said the days of the Rabri Devi government "remote-controlled by RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav are numbered".

He appealed to the people to assess the performance of NDA ministers from the state at the Centre and the RJD ministry on developmental front and vote accordingly in the November 20 by-polls in Barachhati, Fatuha and Sitamarhi assembly seats in the state.
Bureau Report