Special status for 'all backward states' if united opposition comes to power at Centre: Bihar CM Nitish

NEW DELHI: "All the backward states" would be granted a special-category status if the united opposition comes to power at the Centre, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said on Thursday. His party JD(U), which was part of the NDA government in Bihar, recently broke ties with BJP in the state to join the seven-party 'Mahagathbandhan' (Grand Alliance), comprising RJD, Congress and the Left.
The JD(U) leader, who seeks to build a united opposition to challenge the BJP in 2024, made the remark in reply to a query from journalists on the sidelines of a function in Patna.
"If we get an opportunity to form the next government, all the backward states will be granted the special category status. There is no reason why it cannot be done," said Kumar.
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand are among the states which enjoy the special category status.