Special status for backward states if opposition alliance forms govt in 2024: Nitish Kumar

PATNA: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Thursday promised special category status for all backward states if the opposition alliance manages to form a government at the Centre after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“If we get a chance to form the next government at the Centre, all the backward states will be granted special status. There is no reason why this can’t be done,” Nitish said.This is the first major announcement by Nitish in the past one month since he quit the NDA and joined hands with the opposition camp to oust the BJP from power in Bihar.
The announcement assumes much political significance with Nitish trying hard to unite the scattered opposition across the country, and political experts saying he is the one of the potential prime ministerial face from the opposition camp, although the latter has constantly denied. So far, he has met all the prominent opposition politicians and now plans to meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.
Bihar prohibition not effective: PK
Election strategist Prashant Kishor Thursday claimed to have told Bihar CM Nitish Kumar during their much-hyped rapprochement meeting two nights ago that the state’s six-year-old liquor prohibition law was due for a review as “it isn’t effective on the ground”, reports Piyush Tripathi. “Liquor prohibition in Bihar mostly exists on paper due to rampant corruption. Women, in whose name prohibition had been enforced, are again the worst sufferers if their menfolk end up in prison for flouting the anti-liquor law,” the former JD(U) vice-president said.