Patna : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s demand for a special category status to the state is a political drama, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad said Thursday.
“In 2002, when NDA was in power and Nitish Kumar was railway minister, he forced (then Prime Minister Atal Bihari) Vajpayee during his visit to Patna to announce that the central government will not accord special category status to Bihar,” Lalu Prasad recalled at his Parivartan rally in Bhagalpur.
Lalu Prasad, a former chief minister, said Nitish Kumar should explain why he was silent when Vajpayee said “no” to accord a special category status on Bihar.
“He was a powerful cabinet minister but he hardly put any pressure on the Vajpayee government.”
Lalu Prasad said that despite the fact that then Rabri Devi-led government had sent a proposal seeking grant of special status to Bihar and Vajpayee had approved it, Nitish Kumar created hurdles.
“Nitish Kumar is fooling people by demanding special category status for Bihar. He has no moral right to talk about it,” he said.