Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday declared that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s contributions to Bihar were so significant that they amounted to a “slap in the face” of those demanding special category status for the state.
Speaking at an event in Gayaji, attended by the PM, Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the 79-year-old former CM praised the government’s efforts to improve infrastructure and connectivity in the pilgrim town revered by both Hindus and Buddhists.
“In honour of the prime minister, I would like to state that he has done so much for the country, especially for Bihar, that it is like a slap in the face for those who have been demanding special category status,” said Manjhi in the local Magahi dialect.
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The Hindustani Awam Morcha founder, who entered the Lok Sabha in 2024, recalled that Modi had once referred to the MSME ministry as “a department of my dreams” when handing him the portfolio. He listed key projects in Bihar, noting with pride that “it now takes not more than 80 minutes to reach Patna” from Gaya, thanks to improved road and rail links.
Manjhi’s remarks appeared directed at RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who has repeatedly attacked Nitish Kumar for failing to secure special status despite the BJP relying on JD(U) for support at the Centre.
Observers, however, suggested his comments also carried a subtle jab at Nitish Kumar himself. Kumar has long championed special category status for Bihar, even passing legislative resolutions and writing to the Centre. While part of the opposition INDIA bloc, he vowed to win the status not only for Bihar but for all poor states if the coalition came to power.
The demand has consistently been rejected since the Finance Commission abolished the category, leaving Kumar politically exposed.
Manjhi’s uneasy relationship with Kumar has been evident since 2014, when Kumar installed him as CM only to oust him months later. More recently, in 2023, Manjhi accused Kumar of humiliating him again by pressuring his party to merge with the JD(U), prompting his son Santosh Manjhi to resign from the state cabinet.
By aligning his praise for Modi with criticism of the special status demand, Manjhi appeared to strengthen his position within the BJP-led NDA while keeping his rivalry with Nitish Kumar alive.
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