Patna, the ruling NDA in Bihar and the opposition Mahagathbandhan crossed swords on Friday over the demand for special status for the state, which appears to have intensified ahead of the budget session of Parliament.
The demand was first made soon after the creation of Jharkhand robbed the state of its mineral wealth, although the Center has opined that granting special status was no longer possible since the provision was scrapped by the 14th Finance Commission. .
Congress leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, whose party is part of the opposition coalition in the state, attacked the BJP-JD(U) combine.
She said, "There could be no greater irony that the BJP, which rules at the Centre, is not accepting the demand raised by the JD(U) despite being dependent on the ally."
The allusion was to the JD(U), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, passing a resolution at its national executive meeting held last month seeking special category status, or adequate assistance in the form of a special economic package.
The Congress leader also attacked the JD(U) supremo and said, "The Prime Minister should show some respect for his ally who has realigned with him after abandoning us and making the umpteenth U-turn."
The CM, who had helped the formation of the INDIA bloc, returned to the BJP-led NDA in January this year.
Kumar's MP Vijay Kumar Sinha, who belongs to the BJP, was asked about a meeting, in Delhi a day ago, between Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Samrat Choudhary, another deputy CM of Bihar who holds the finance portfolio and it is understood that the state's expectations for the upcoming budget were presented to it.
Evading a direct answer, Sinha said: "The Prime Minister has made it clear that he wants a 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India). That will be possible only when Bihar is also developed. All that is needed for the growth of one and all of state, it will be done."
State minister and senior JD(U) leader Shravan Kumar alleged that the demand for special status was "ignored" by the previous Congress-led UPA government at the Center and hoped Modi would give him to Bihar what was due.
Earlier, the NDA's partner Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), led by Union Minister Chirag Paswan, had also come out in support of the demand.
Party MP Arun Bharti had told Video: "Our party has supported special status for Bihar from the beginning. We are banking on some help, whether in the form of special status or a special package."
Meanwhile, the RJD, which leads the Mahagathbandhan, lashed out at the NDA alleging that the ruling coalition was trying to mislead the people.
RJD MLA Bhai Virendra said, "The BJP and JD(U) share power both at the Center and in the state. However, instead of taking necessary steps, they are raising demands. Do they think people are stupid?" " .
The RJD leader, whose party was ruling Bihar when it was bifurcated in 2000, pointed out that the demand for special status was first raised by the Rabri Devi government.
"I don't want to create much controversy by mentioning names. But the NDA was in power, at the Centre, at that time and its leaders deliberately denied Bihar special status fearing that my party would take the credit," Bhai Virendra said. .
The demand was first made soon after the creation of Jharkhand robbed the state of its mineral wealth, although the Center has opined that granting special status was no longer possible since the provision was scrapped by the 14th Finance Commission. .
Congress leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, whose party is part of the opposition coalition in the state, attacked the BJP-JD(U) combine.
She said, "There could be no greater irony that the BJP, which rules at the Centre, is not accepting the demand raised by the JD(U) despite being dependent on the ally."
The allusion was to the JD(U), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, passing a resolution at its national executive meeting held last month seeking special category status, or adequate assistance in the form of a special economic package.
The Congress leader also attacked the JD(U) supremo and said, "The Prime Minister should show some respect for his ally who has realigned with him after abandoning us and making the umpteenth U-turn."
The CM, who had helped the formation of the INDIA bloc, returned to the BJP-led NDA in January this year.
Kumar's MP Vijay Kumar Sinha, who belongs to the BJP, was asked about a meeting, in Delhi a day ago, between Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Samrat Choudhary, another deputy CM of Bihar who holds the finance portfolio and it is understood that the state's expectations for the upcoming budget were presented to it.
Evading a direct answer, Sinha said: "The Prime Minister has made it clear that he wants a 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India). That will be possible only when Bihar is also developed. All that is needed for the growth of one and all of state, it will be done."
State minister and senior JD(U) leader Shravan Kumar alleged that the demand for special status was "ignored" by the previous Congress-led UPA government at the Center and hoped Modi would give him to Bihar what was due.
Earlier, the NDA's partner Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), led by Union Minister Chirag Paswan, had also come out in support of the demand.
Party MP Arun Bharti had told Video: "Our party has supported special status for Bihar from the beginning. We are banking on some help, whether in the form of special status or a special package."
Meanwhile, the RJD, which leads the Mahagathbandhan, lashed out at the NDA alleging that the ruling coalition was trying to mislead the people.
RJD MLA Bhai Virendra said, "The BJP and JD(U) share power both at the Center and in the state. However, instead of taking necessary steps, they are raising demands. Do they think people are stupid?" " .
The RJD leader, whose party was ruling Bihar when it was bifurcated in 2000, pointed out that the demand for special status was first raised by the Rabri Devi government.
"I don't want to create much controversy by mentioning names. But the NDA was in power, at the Centre, at that time and its leaders deliberately denied Bihar special status fearing that my party would take the credit," Bhai Virendra said. .
