Bihar: Special status demand triggers political slugfest

Bihar Vidhan Bhavan. Pic/X

The ruling NDA in Bihar and the opposition Mahagathbandhan reportedly crossed swords on Friday over the demand for special status for the state, which seems to have intensified ahead of the Parliament's budget session.

According to a PTI report, the demand was first made soon after the 'creation of Jharkhand' robbed the state of its mineral wealth, though according to the centre the grant of special status is no longer possible since the provision was scrapped by the 14th Finance Commission.

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Senior Congress leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, whose party is a part of the opposition coalition in the state, reportedly took potshots at the BJP-JD(U) alliance.

She said, "There could not be a greater irony that the BJP, which rules the Centre, is not accepting the demand raised by the JD (U) despite being dependent on the ally," reported the PTI.

The allusion was to the JD (U), headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, passing a resolution at its national executive meeting held last month seeking special category status, or adequate assistance in the form of a special economic package.

According to the PTI report, the Congress leader also took a swipe at the JD (U) supremo and said, "The PM should show some respect for his ally who has realigned with him after ditching us and making umpteenth volte-face.".

The CM, who had helped in the formation of the INDIA bloc, returned to the BJP-led NDA in January this year.

Deouty Lok Sabha speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha, who belongs to the BJP, was asked about a meeting in Delhi a day ago between Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Samrat Choudhary, another Bihar Deputy CM who holds the finance portfolio and is understood to have submitted the state's expectations from the upcoming budget before her, reported PTI.

Evading a direct reply, Sinha said, "The PM has made it clear that he wants a 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India). That is possible only when Bihar, too, is developed. All that is needed for the growth of each and every state will be done."

As per the news agency report, state minister and senior JD (U) leader Shravan Kumar alleged that the demand for special status was "ignored" by the previous Congress-led UPA government at the Centre and hoped that Modi would give Bihar its due.

Earlier, NDA partner Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), headed by Union Minister Chirag Paswan, had also come out in support of the demand, reported PTI.

The party's MP, Arun Bharti, had told PTI, "Our party has been in support of special status in Bihar since the very beginning. We are confident of some assistance, in the form of either special status or a special package."

Meanwhile, the RJD, which helms the Mahagathbandhan, reportedly lashed out at the NDA, claiming that the ruling coalition was trying to hoodwink the people.

As per the PTI report, RJD MLA Bhai Virendra said, "The BJP and the JD (U) share power in the Centre as well as in the state. Yet, instead of taking the necessary steps, they are raising demands. Do they think the people are fools?".

The RJD leader, whose party was ruling Bihar when it was bifurcated in 2000, pointed out that the demand for special status was first raised by the Rabri Devi government.

"I do not wish to create much controversy by taking names. But the NDA was in power at the Centre at the time, and its leaders deliberately denied Bihar special status, fearing that my party would get the credit," claimed Bhai Virendra.

(With inputs from PTI)