A day after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reiterated his demand for grant of special status to Bihar, Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav claimed that it was merely a pressure tactic to bargain with alliance partner BJP. He said Mr. Kumar was now looking for an opportune moment to “betray the BJP”.
“By demanding special status for Bihar, Nitish Kumar is playing pressure tactics to bargain politically with the BJP, but the people of the State are aware that he is looking for an opportune moment to betray the BJP and change sides again. In fact, Nitish Kumar is looking for a chance to walk away from the BJP-led NDA,” Mr. Yadav told journalists in Patna.
Taking potshots at Mr. Kumar, he said, “It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had promised special status for Bihar and not the 15th Finance Commission to which Nitish Kumar has written a note.”
On Tuesday, Mr. Kumar had reiterated his demand for special status and asked the 15th Finance Commission to locate resource gaps and support backward States like Bihar that were trying to catch up with the developed States.
Chandrababu example
Citing the example of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Mr. Yadav said that Mr. Kumar should learn from him. “Are Nitish Kumar and Sushil Kumar Modi asking for special status from Donald Trump? Are you afraid of asking PM Modiji? Nitish chacha (uncle), you should grow a spine like Chandrababu Naidu. We’re asking for Bihar’s right and not charity,” he said.
Earlier this month, the JD(U) had expressed displeasure at the Centre’s attitude towards Bihar and accused it of doing injustice to the State. In March, Mr. Kumar had said he had not given up the demand for special status “even for a second” since he first raised the issue in 2005.
JD(U) MP and a close friend of Mr. Kumar, R.C.P. Singh, said: “Demanding special State category for Bihar has been our right and not a battle between the Centre and the State.”
Meanwhile, RJD leaders have slammed the JD(U) for raking up the issue of special category status from time to time. “They keep raising this issue for political gain and bargain. Now, they have raised the issue to exert pressure on the BJP to bargain for more seats in the upcoming parliamentary polls,” said RJD MLA and party spokesperson Bhai Birendra.
