Tejashwi Yadav attacks Nitish Kumar on Bihar’s special status

Bihar Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday attacked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for its failure to secure special status and a special package for Bihar from the Central government.

Yadav highlighted that despite Bihar's significant contribution of MPs to the formation of the central government, the state has not received the long-demanded special status, which is intended to address underdevelopment and economic challenges.

"Bihar has contributed a maximum number of MPs for the formation of the central government, but the Narendra Modi government has failed to grant special status to Bihar," Yadav remarked.

He urged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to engage directly with Prime Minister Modi on this matter, expressing disappointment at the lack of progress.

Additionally, Yadav pointed to the caste-based survey conducted by the Bihar government as an example of proactive measures taken at the state level to address social and economic inequalities.

“The Central government has failed to conduct a nationwide caste-based census or even a general census,” he said.

Responding to BJP's claims that Congress, JMM, and RJD have exploited Jharkhand’s resources, Tejashwi Yadav has accused several leaders within the NDA, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and certain leaders in Maharashtra, of their alleged corruption, stating that their association with the NDA protects them from scrutiny.

He argued that corruption charges seem to be ignored or overlooked when it involves NDA members.

Yadav expressed confidence in his alliance, affirming that Hemant Soren will be re-elected as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand.

In reaction to Yadav's statements, Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha countered by highlighting recent budget allocations from the central government, which he claims have provided substantial infrastructure funding specifically for Bihar.

“The leaders from other states even remarked that the union budget seemed to prioritise Bihar, suggesting that the Central government is attentive to the state's needs. Yadav's demands for a caste-based census and a special package lack substance, as the Central government is already investing in Bihar’s development,” Kushwaha said.