Nitish scoffs at Cong and BJP alike

 Blowing the bugle for 2014 parliamentary elections, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday hit out at Congress-led UPA government for dilly-dallying on granting special category status to the state and at the BJP for coronating Narendra Modi representing forces that targeted people from Bihar in Mumbai and other places.

Kumar virtually launched campaign for polls by starting series of “Sankalp rally” JD(U) has planned across the state to press for its demand of special category status and caution people against “divisive” forces led by BJP.

The series of 12 Sankalp rallies planned by JD(U) across Bihar till February next year started from East Champaran as party leaders said Mahatma Gandhi had launched his satyagraha against British government from here.

Keeping distance with Congress which was seen reaching out to Nitish Kumar after his parting company with BJP, the chief minister criticised the UPA government for not taking decision on special category status for Bihar.

“There is every possibility to grant special category status to Bihar after report of Raghuram Rajan committee giving fresh definition of backwardness but the government sitting in Delhi is not taking a decision,” Kumar said at Changhara village on Indo-Nepal borders in East Champaran.

Kumar has said on numerous occasions that special category status demand would be JD(U)’s main poll agenda in 2014 parliamentary elections and he would seek strength from voters to achieve this.

“I and my party leaders have come to take a sankalp (pledge) that we will continue our struggle to achieve special category status for boosting the growth in Bihar,” he said.
Noted filmmaker Prakash Jha shared dais with Kumar.