BJP defeat will spark joy in Pak.: Amit Shah

"If by any chance the BJP government is not formed, crackers will be burst in Pakistan," he told a meeting at Raxaul in East Champaran.

BJP president Amit Shah said on Thursday that if the party was unable to form a government in Bihar, there would be celebrations in Pakistan.

Agar galati se bhi BJP ki sarkar Bihar mei nahi banti hai to Pakistan mein patakhe chutenge [If by any chance the BJP government is not formed, crackers will be burst in Pakistan], he told a meeting at Raxaul in East Champaran. He asked the crowd, “Would you want that to happen.” The crowd yelled “no.”

No special status

Putting at rest speculation on the long-time demand of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for “special status” for Bihar, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said here on Thursday that it was no longer “relevant” after the 14th Finance Commission award of tax resources sharing between the Centre and the States.

“The era of special status is over now. The 14th Finance Commission had come up with a constitutional award for States and fixed a formula for sharing of tax revenues between the Centre and the States,” Mr. Jaitley told presspersons.

Mr. Jaitley has been camping in Bihar for the last three days to “re-strategise the party’s poll-campaign”.

He pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already announced a Rs. 1.25 lakh crore special package for the State.