Chapra: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday exuded confidence that the next government at the Centre will have to grant special status to Bihar as that government cannot be formed without the support of 40 MPs of the state.
"It is important that you (electorate of Bihar) should elect your MPs who steadfastly stand for special status demand for Bihar as their support will be key for formation of next government at the Centre," he said at the `Adhikar Sammelan`.
The next government at the Centre will have to grant special status to Bihar as it will be dependent upon 40 MPs from the state, Kumar said.
He, however, did not elaborate whether the JD(U), spearheading campaign on special status issue on its own, will contest the next Parliamentary elections alone and seek to win all 40 seats to play a crucial role in formation of the next government at the Centre.
The chief minister`s remarks about 40 Bihar MPs playing crucial role in next government at the Centre after 2014 Parliamentary polls was apparently aimed at diluting his firm stand two days ago at another public meeting at Betiah that he would support anyone in formation of the government at the Centre if it grants special category status to Bihar.
He also hit out at his arch rival, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, for deriding the ongoing campaign by the JD(U) on the special category status issue and said Prasad had opportunity to pursue the matter when his party was in power in the state.
PTI
