Patna : Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday lavishly praised the NDA government at the Centre and claimed ministers and Union government officials were taking keen interest in development of Bihar.
However, Nitish said the long-standing demand of special status to Bihar would not be discussed when PM visits Patna and Mokama on October 14
Nitish, who had launched a campaign for special status in 2010 and got passed a resolution from State legislature had made it election issue in 2014, on Tuesday said categorically: it is not on the agenda.
He said PM would inaugurate the centenary celebrations of Patna University at science college and later inaugurate and lay foundation of Rs 6000 central projects which included 6 lanes bridge on the Ganga at Mokama, four urban development projects in the state capital and highways in North Bihar.
Nitish said he requested the union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday that the base price of diesel and petrol should be recalculated and reduced as it was highest Rs 55 per litre for petrol and Rs 51 for diesel. With reduced base price GST would come down. Pradhan had written to all chief ministers asking them to reduce taxes on diesel and petrol
Nitish accused the ousted JDU president Sharad Yadav with deviating from socialist ideas and supporting corrupt Lalu Prasad.
Sharad talked of ‘‘sanjhi Virasat’’, but supported the Lalu pariwar only which was against the ideas of Jayaprakash Narayan and Ram Manohar Lohia.
