PATNA: In a symbolical protest, Bihar’s ruling JD-U has decided to stop making demands for special status to Bihar from the Modi government anymore. With this sudden decision, the tussle between the two major partners of Bihar NDA has increased further, a day after chief minister Nitish Kumar expressed his annoyance with the central government on its denial to conduct caste census.
Vijendra Yadav, the state government minister of planning and development, said that from now on they will not make any demands for special status for Bihar to the Centre
Speaking to the media, Yadav said, "We have become tired of making demands for special status to Bihar for many years. How many times should we be continuing this demand? We have become tired of demanding and no one is listening to our demand”. The announcement by Vijendra Yadav, a member of the core committee of Nitish Kumar, has created a flutter within the NDA.
“When we continued demanding the special status, the Central Government had constituted a committee to look into the demand. The report has also come out but, even after that, no decision has so far been taken”, he peevishly said.
Expressing annoyance, the minister that there is a limit to their patience.
“Now we are doing our work. But we will continue to demand for special assistance for every sector in Bihar from the Centre. Bihar needs special help in all areas. Therefore, special help should be given to us”, he remarked.
The demand for the special status has been repeatedly made by Nitish Kumar‘s government ever since it came into power in 2005.
In 2013, the then Manmohan Singh government in the Centre had constituted the Raghuram Rajan Committee to consider feasibility for special status to Bihar and other states.
The committee in its report had admitted that Bihar is the most backward state in the country after Orissa. But the committee recommended for abolishing the provision of giving special status to any state and that created a hurdle for Bihar.
Local political observers in Patna said JDU's current decision of giving the silent treatment can be a warning sign of growing distance of JD-U from BJP in the NDA, which may force the JDU to later break away.