GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 22nd July. At an all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday, political leaders from JD(U), YSRCP, and BJD raised their demands for special category status for their respective states—Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. The meeting, held a day before the Parliament’s Budget session, saw significant discourse on the issue, reflecting a unified push for financial and administrative support.
JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha, along with Union Minister Chirag Paswan of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) representatives, emphasized the need for special category status for Bihar. Jha suggested that if special status is unfeasible, a special financial package could be an alternative solution.
In Andhra Pradesh, YSRCP’s floor leader in the Rajya Sabha, Vijaisai Reddy, reiterated the party’s long-standing demand for special category status, first promised by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Reddy criticized the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) for its perceived silence on the matter, accusing it of compromising the state’s interests.
Similarly, BJD leader Sasmit Patra pressed for special category status for Odisha, stating that the state has been denied this status for over two decades. Patra argued that the Centre should reconsider the issue in light of demands from various states.
Congress questioned the TDP’s inaction on the special category status demand, with TDP MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu defending the party’s broader agenda of issues to be addressed in the upcoming Budget session. He also indicated that Andhra Pradesh will soon release a white paper on its financial status, expected to make a significant impact.
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