Patna, Mar 20: With the withdrawal of support by DMK from the Union government and the UPA alliance , Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said Congress knows the "trick" to remain in power.
"Congress knows the trick of remaining in power," Kumar told reporters at the airport here after returning from the national capital, when asked about the situation arising due to withdrawal of support by DMK on the issue of alleged human rights violations of Tamils in Sri Lanka.
"The situation will change by the evening. DMK is an important partner of UPA...If UPA wishes to continue in power it has to accept the demand of DMK," the senior JD(U) leader said.
"Tamil sentiment should be respected. Sri Lanka is our neighbour and we have to maintain our relationship with it," he said.
Kumar, who met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia and handed over a resolution adopted in support of special category status for Bihar at the March 17 Adhikar Rally in Delhi, said either the Centre would form a committee for the purpose or itself take a decision.
Asserting that the Centre has to move fast on the special status issue because it concerns the rights of 10.5 crore citizens of the state, Kumar said the committee should not take unlimited time on the issue.
On his tilting towards the Congress, the Bihar Chief Minister said, "Don't live in confusion. I had gone to New Delhi with a demand for special status for Bihar and gave the relevant logic for demanding it. Nothing more should be read in my actions".
The Union government, he said, should lay a criteria and whichever state fulfills it should get special category economic status.
Kumar who made a strong statement that if the Centre did not provide special status to Bihar now, it has to be given after 2014 Parliamentary elections, said "Whosoever ignores the strength of Bihar's huge population and their support for special status issue will have no option but repent. "
Buoyed over the successful Adhikar rally at Delhi on Sunday last, Kumar said "the demand for special status has reached a decisive stage."
The Centre has accepted the fact that there was a need to change the criteria for special category status, Kumar said.
The senior JD(U) leader said "We will not take rest till Bihar wins the battle to get its due by way of special category status."
He repeated the need for special status for a backward state like Bihar which falls short in all indices of development than the national average.
