A day before PM's visit, JD(U) revives demand of 'special state' status for Bihar

PATNA: A day before PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Motihari, state’s ruling JD (U) on Monday revived its long-pending demand of granting the status of 'special state' to Bihar.
Modi is slated to visit Motihari in north Bihar on Tuesday to participate “Satryagraha to Swachchhagraha’ programme being organised as part of the concluding ceremony of Mahatama Gandhi’s Champaran Satyagraha’s centenary celebrations. Gandhi had, for the first time, arrived in Bihar on April 10, 1917.

Nitish Kumar faction of JD(U), which is running a coalition government with the BJP in the state, on Monday said it wanted the PM to announce granting of the status of special state to Bihar when he visits Motihari on Tuesday.

“Modi should grant special status to Bihar,” JD-U general secretary Shayam Razak said here on Monday.

Earlier on March 19, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar had said that he had not given up the demand for grant of special status to Bihar “for even a day” since he first raised the issue 12 years ago. Nitish was responding over the opposition RJD’s allegation that Bihar CM had become “silent” on the issue of special state even after the TDP pulled out of the NDA seeking similar benefits for Andhra Pradesh.

"I had written to the then prime minister for a special status to Bihar shortly after assuming power in the state. Later, we got a resolution passed in the state assembly to the effect. Since then, we have been raising the demand relentlessly and I have not strayed for even a day. I am amused to see those who were never concerned about the issue have suddenly started questioning my silence,” Nitish had said.

Earlier on March 8, the RJD demanded that Nitish Kumar should ask the Centre for the status of special state to Bihar for the sake of state’s development like his Andhra Pradesh counterpart and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu has done.

The leader of opposition in Bihar assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav had also accused the CM of compromising with the long-pending demand of special status for his personal gains, including a Z-plus security cover and a special bungalow in Delhi.

“Nitish chacha should listen to the voice of his ‘conscience’ and press the Centre to give the special status to Bihar. I had on February 5 written a letter to Nitish ji asking him to raise the issue with PM Narendra Modi, but he hasn’t replied yet. In case the Centre fails to fulfil the demand, Nitish ji should snap ties with the NDA,” Tejashwi had said.

Raising the issue, Tejashwi a few days back said, if Nitish Kumar is a strong leader, he should directly demand special category status for Bihar from Modi.”