New Delhi, June 29: On a day when Janata Dal-United passed a resolution reiterating its demand for special status in central assistance to Bihar, Congress questioned Chief Minister Nitish Kumar if he will have courage to have the state Cabinet to also pass such a resolution.
The Congress also asked why has Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desham Party (TDP) not yet passed such a resolution for Andhra Pradesh, a promise emphasised by the non-biological Prime Minister in the holy city of Tirupati on April 30, 2014.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh in a post on X, formerly Twitter said, “The JD(U) has just passed a resolution reiterating demand for special category status in Central assistance to Bihar.”
“Will the CM summon the courage to have the state Cabinet to also pass such a resolution. Will the CM of Bihar walk the talk?” the Congress leader asked.
“And what about TDP in its new innings? Why has it not yet passed such a resolution for Andhra Pradesh, a promise emphasised by the non-biological PM in the holy city of Tirupati on April 30, 2014,” he said.
His remarks came after the JD-U held its national executive meeting in Delhi on Saturday, with Nitish Kumar resolving to push for special category status for the state.
JD-U had been demanding a special status to Bihar since UPA era. Even last year, the Bihar Cabinet passed a resolution demanding special status for the state.
Bihar’s politicians, including Nitish Kumar, have long advocated for special category status, citing the state’s economic backwardness. Achieving special status would boost the state’s share of tax revenues from the Centre.
The call for special category status for Bihar assumes significance at this time because Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP relies on support from Kumar’s JD(U), which holds 12 seats in the newly elected Lok Sabha, to maintain power at the Centre.
Even TDP has won 16 seats in Andhra Pradesh in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.