The Centre’s move to reject Bihar’s bid for special status has stirred a cryptic response from Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of the state and president of the Janata Dal United (JDU), a key ally of the BJP.

A day after the Union government’s decision was communicated in a written reply in Parliament, Kumar was approached for comment on the matter. Outside the Bihar Assembly, Kumar, known for his love-hate relationship with the BJP and the NDA, said, “Sab kuch dheere dheere jaan jaiyega” (Everything will become clear in time), before making a quick exit.

The BJP, unable to win a majority in the Lok Sabha on its own, relies heavily on its allies to cross the 272-seat threshold needed to form a government for a third term under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With 240 seats, the BJP’s need for support from Kumar’s JDU, which has 12 MPs, and Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP, with 16 MPs, has been crucial for its governance.

In August 2022, Kumar broke away from the NDA and allied with the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, which includes the RJD and Congress. He was also instrumental in forming the opposition INDIA alliance, which secured 232 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. However, Kumar shifted alliances once more in January, returning to the NDA.

Following the Lok Sabha elections, the JDU convened a national executive meeting where it passed a resolution to demand special status for Bihar.

When the Union government’s response was made public on Monday, JDU leaders, who hold two ministerial posts in the Union government, sprang into action. They clarified that the resolution also mentioned a “special package and other forms of assistance” and insisted that Bihar could still receive significant support from the Centre.

Ramprit Mandal, a JDU MP from Bihar’s Jhanjharpur, had asked the Finance Ministry if the government was planning to provide special status to Bihar and other most backward states to promote economic growth and industrialisation.

In a written response, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said that a “case for Special Category Status for Bihar is not made out”.

Meanwhile, the opposition in Bihar, led by Lalu Yadav’s RJD, seized the moment to criticise Kumar and even called for his resignation.

“Nitish Kumar appears to have compromised Bihar’s aspirations and the trust of its people for the sake of power. He had promised to secure special status for Bihar, but now that the Centre has denied it, he should resign,” Yadav had said.

In a post on X, the RJD handle wrote, “Nitish Kumar and JDU leaders must enjoy the fruits of power at the Centre and continue their drama politics on special status.”