Great expectations: Nitish Kumar greets Modi, lays out demands

Former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday extended his greetings to the government led by his bete-noire Narendra Modi which took charge on Monday evening and said he has ‘great expectations’ from it, including granting of special category status to his state.

‘I have greeted the new government under Narendra Modi. I once again congratulate the new government that will take charge in the evening,’ Kumar, who would not be present at the oath taking ceremony, told reporters hours ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.

The two leaders had not missed any opportunity to attack each other since last year and Modi’s elevation in the BJP had prompted Kumar to pull JD(U) out of NDA in June last year after being part of the alliance for 17 years.

Kumar’s successor chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is going to Delhi to participate in the oath taking ceremony.

JD(U) representative would also be there on the occasion, Kumar told mediapersons after the swearing-in of members of Legislative Council here.

Kumar said he has ‘great expectations’ from the new Union government and that Bihar should get special category status and special package.

Pending central projects in Bihar should be completed and the new Union government should reimburse the Rs 1000 crore the state had spent from its limited resources on upkeep of national highways, he said.

Kumar also stressed on the need for central law for protection of people migrating from one state to another for earning livelihood. The issue of targeting of people from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh in Mumbai and Maharashtra formed part of JD(U) poll manifesto.

Manjhi was with Kumar when he was interacting with mediapersons.