JD(U) leaders to meet Modi over special status for Bihar

Tribune News Service

Aksheev Thakur

New Delhi, June 29

Advocating special status for Bihar, Janata Dal (United) leader Ashok Chaudhary today said the party leaders, including Nitish Kumar, Sanjay Jha and Lalan Singh, along with others, would meet PM Narendra Modi and put forth their demand.

“A special status and a special package for Bihar are our old demands, and these are still there. Our leaders in both the Houses, including Lalan Singh and Sanjay Jha, will meet the Prime Minister and put forth their point strongly,” Chaudhary said while speaking to reporters here.

A national executive meeting of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) held here decided to appoint Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kumar Jha as the party’s working president. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will continue to be the national president.

Our old demands

A special status and a special package for Bihar are our old demands, and these are still there. Our leaders in both the Houses, including Lalan Singh and Sanjay Jha, will meet the Prime Minister and put forth their point strongly. —Ashok Chaudhary, JD(U) leader

Jha, who took oath as a Rajya Sabha member in April this year, is said to be close to Kumar. “He is close to the CM (Nitish Kumar). He also played an important role in JD(U)’s alliance with the BJP.

“I am deeply obliged to the Bihar CM. He has given me a huge responsibility. He has transformed Bihar. We will contest the Jharkhand Assembly poll as well,” Jha said.

The meeting also analysed the recently concluded Lok Sabha election results and strategies for the Bihar Assembly poll in 2025. The JD(U) contested 16 seats and won 12 in the recently concluded LS poll. According to party insiders, the JD(U) may push the demand for contesting on more seats in the Assembly election. JD(U) secretary general KC Tyagi said it was announced in the meeting that the party would remain part of the NDA.

“No matter what one writes. We will remain part of the NDA. There is no question of going anywhere else. We will go to the Supreme Court to seek a stay on the Patna High Court verdict on the state government’s reservation policy. We will continue to fight for the special status and an economic package,” Tyagi said.

Party leaders present in the meeting also sought strict action against culprits in NEET paper leak case.

Will Nitish walk the talk, asks Jairam

Hours after BJP ally JD(U) passed a resolution reiterating its demand for special category status for Bihar, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh asked if Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would actually walk the talk on the issue. He also questioned NDA partner Telugu Desam Party for not pressing for the special category status for Andhra Pradesh. PTI

(With agency inputs)

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