Three political parties, including an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have called for special category status for three states at an all-party meeting held on Sunday, ahead of the Parliament session on Monday.
The Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)], which governs Bihar in coalition with the BJP, sought special category status for the state. Similarly, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) demanded the same status for Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, respectively. Notably, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh and a BJP ally, did not reiterate its previous demand for special status during the meeting.
Chirag Paswan, president of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), another BJP ally, also urged for special category status for Bihar.
Special category status would grant these states higher funds from the central government along with special tax benefits. No state has been given this status since the BJP came to power in 2014, while ten states had received this classification before then.
JD(U) working president and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Jha emphasized the need for a special package for Bihar if special category status is not feasible. “Special category status for the state has been our stand since the beginning… if that is not possible, then a special package should be announced,” Jha said.
The JD(U)’s national executive had passed a resolution on June 29, demanding either special category status or a special package for Bihar. This marked a pragmatic shift as the Modi government had previously ruled out granting special status based on the 14th Finance Commission’s report.
The BJD, led by Naveen Patnaik, supported the demands for special status and emphasized Odisha’s long-standing request. BJD leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra stated, “Odisha has been deprived of the special category status for more than two decades. The BJD has been demanding the status. States such as Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have also made similar demands.”
YSRCP MP Vijaysai Reddy highlighted the issue of reduced revenue shares for states that control their population growth and called for addressing this through the finance commission.
Opposition leaders criticized the TDP, a crucial BJP ally, for not raising the issue of special category status for Andhra Pradesh during the meeting. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh noted this silence and recalled how the BJD reminded BJP leaders of their 2014 promise to grant Odisha special status.
JD(U) also addressed the recurring flood issue in Bihar, urging for a dam over the Kosi river, and expressed opposition to the Uttar Pradesh government’s directive for eateries along Kanwar Yatra routes to display owners’ names, citing concerns over discrimination.
The BJD raised several issues, including housing for the rural poor, deprived communities under the ST list, and infrastructure deficiencies. They also demanded action against the alleged assault of a Raj Bhavan employee by the Odisha governor’s son.
TDP lawmaker LS Krishna Devarayalu and other party members, including Congress, raised the need for central hall facilities for MPs, highlighting the importance of timely ministerial responses during parliamentary sessions.