As Special Category Status (SCS) demand for Andhra Pradesh puts TDP-BJP alliance on the verge of a break-up, the spotlight is now also on Bihar where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s SCS dream for his state died a silent death since he joined hands with the BJP last year. It is being revived again by the opposition leaders of Bihar and also from some JD (U) leaders who believe the party continues to believe that SCS demand is legitimate and necessary for the state.

JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar today told a TV channel that the SCS demand was a unanimous decision of Bihar Assembly and it is “still active” and “development” of Bihar is the main objective of the government.

Bihar opposition leader from RJD, Tejashwi Yadav, on Wednesday, attacked Kumar, calling him a “spineless chief minister” but said he would support the state government for demanding SCS from Centre. “Nitish Ji should hear the voice of his conscience and immediately resign to break ties with NDA if Prime Minister Modi and Central government refuse to grant the legitimate demand of special status for Bihar,” Yadav Tweeted.

SCS is one of the issues Kumar has personally campaigned for not just during election rallies but on all possible platforms including the Bihar assembly.

New Delhi: Telugu Desam Party MP Naramalli Sivaprasad, in a farmer’s attire, carries water and mud in earthen pots ties toa wooden twig as a part of his party’s protest against the Centre for not granting Special Category status to Andhra Pradesh, during the second phase of budget session in New Delhi on Wednesday. Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav looks on. PTI Photo.

The possibility of getting SCS tag became almost impossible after the 14th Finance Commission restricted special status to states in India’s North East and the hilly states.

This limitation has not stopped states like Andhra Pradesh to stop making SCS demand and go for the “special package” offered by the Centre. Clearly, politics is at play behind the garb of “genuine” demand.

On Thursday, two TDP ministers – Y S Chowdary, Ashok Gajapathi Raju – who were part of the NDA government at the Centre quit from their posts. Interestingly, the TDP has not yet formally broken ties with the NDA. This development came just a day after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said granting SCS was not possible Constitutionally.

However, Jaitley agreed that Andhra suffered financially when Telangana was carved out it. Jaitley said the Centre was ready to fulfill all commitments made by the Centre at the time of bifurcation of the state. The Finance Minister said the Centre was committed to provide 90 percent of funds, which is equivalent to the SCS demand, through means like external agencies.

The Andhra story is still developing and it may take any possible turn. However, just a year before the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls, Chandrababu Naidu would be wary of standing on the same plank as his opposition YSR Congress, which has welcomed TDP’s decision to withdraw its ministers from the Central government. The YSR Congress has also agitated in past, demanding SCS for Andhra Pradesh.

The developments in Andhra will be keenly watched by observers. In Bihar, it has clearly given the opposition a chance to rake up the pet issue of Kumar and use it for political gains in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. As it was evident from a tweet by jailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav: “Why Nitish not asking his boss to accord Special Status to Bihar? PM Modi had promised Special Status to Bihar in March 2014 Loksabha election rally at Muzaffarpur. Nitish must play that speech recording in front of PM. For personal gains Nitish surrendered Bihar’s benefits.”