The Centre has ruled out granting special status to Bihar, a long-standing demand of the Janata Dal (United) [JDU], one of the BJP’s key allies. This decision, communicated in a written reply in Parliament, prompted a cryptic response from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
When asked about the Union Government’s decision ahead of the Union Budget presentation, Kumar told reporters outside the Bihar Assembly, “Sab kuch dhire dhire jaan jaiyega (You will get to know everything in due course),” before waving and walking away.
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The BJP, which did not secure a majority in the Lok Sabha on its own, relied on its allies, including the JDU, with its 12 MPs, and the TDP, with 16 MPs, to reach the 272-seat majority required to form the government. Kumar, after previously leaving the NDA to join the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar in August 2022, rejoined the NDA in January.
Following the Lok Sabha elections, the JDU held a national executive meeting and reiterated its demand for special status for Bihar. However, in a written response, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary stated that the case for Special Category Status for Bihar is “not made out.”
He explained that the National Development Council (NDC) previously granted Special Category Status based on criteria such as hilly and difficult terrain, low population density, a sizeable share of the tribal population, strategic location along borders, economic and infrastructural backwardness, and non-viable state finances.
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JDU leaders, in response to the Centre’s decision, emphasized that their resolution also called for a “special package and other types of help” for Bihar. They suggested that the state could still receive substantial aid from the Centre despite the denial of special status.
Opposition leaders, including those from Lalu Yadav’s RJD, criticized Kumar, accusing him of compromising Bihar’s aspirations for the sake of power. RJD leader Yadav demanded Kumar’s resignation, stating, “Nitish Kumar appears to have compromised Bihar’s aspirations and the trust of its people for the sake of power. He had promised to secure special status for Bihar, but now that the Centre has denied it, he should resign.”
The RJD also took to social media, posting on X, “Nitish Kumar and JDU leaders must enjoy the fruits of power at the Centre and continue their drama politics on special status.”
Background on Special Status Demand
Nitish Kumar has been advocating for special status for Bihar since 2000, following the creation of Jharkhand from Bihar’s mineral-rich regions. Special status ensures more central support for backward states to help boost growth and achieve parity with more developed states. Although not provided for in the Constitution, special status was introduced in 1969 based on the recommendations of the Fifth Finance Commission.
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Currently, eleven states enjoy special status: Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Telangana. The Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) had previously reviewed Bihar’s request for special status in 2012 and concluded that Bihar did not meet the existing NDC criteria for such a designation.
Despite the Centre’s decision, the JDU remains hopeful that Bihar could still receive significant support through other forms of assistance from the central government.
