Congress inclined toward Bihar getting special status: Raj Babbar

PATNA: Congress today asserted it was positively inclined toward Bihar getting special category status and pledged the Centre would always be a partner to the state for its rapid development.

"The union government has set up a committee to revisit criteria of backwardness of a state which held its first meeting yesterday. Further steps will be taken based on the recommendations of the committee," Raj Babbar, Congress spokesman told PTI.

"We are not negative but positive (on Bihar getting special status)," the actor-turned-politician said.

Babbar was here to seek vote for Congress candidate Jitendra Swami in Maharajganj Lok Sabha by-poll. He was received at the airport by state party media in-charge Prem Chand Mishra, former Youth Congress chief Lallan Kumar and NSUI Vice President Rohit Kumar.

The Congress MP from Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh said the Centre would always be a partner in Bihar's development.

"The Congress led UPA provided a special assistance of Rs 12,000 crore to Bihar and also got built 25,000 km of roads in the state," he said to highlight state-friendly approach of the Congress towards Bihar.

Asked to comment on performance of Nitish Kumar led NDA in the state, Babbar said people of the state will decide this.

Babbar, however, urged the state government to take effective steps for better utilisation of Central fund.

"A huge sum of money provided by the Centre remains unused in Bihar... the Central government has a lot of funds under various schemes for the state," he said.

Claiming that Congress was on a sound footing in Maharajganj by-election, Babbar said "if nominee of a regional party wins it would only add to their number but if a Congress candidate wins from the state he could become a part of the Central government and could bring a lot of development here".

Babbar would be criss-crossing the Maharajganj constituency spread in Saran and Siwan districts for the next two days to brighten chance of Congress in the June 2 by-poll.