UPA budget a "betrayal" with poor states like Bihar: Nitish Kumar

PATNA: With no mention of the special category status for the state in the interim budget today, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar described it as a "story of failure" of UPA government and "betrayal" with poor and backward states like Bihar.

"The interim budget is nothing but a story of failure of the UPA government," Kumar told reporters here at the state Assembly premises.

"It's a betrayal with backward states like Bihar," he added.

"In the last budget, there was a mention of taking measures for uplift of poor and backward states like Bihar, which I had praised. But this time they have totally ignored the interest of the states lagging behind in developmental indices," he said.

Coming harsh on the absence of any words in connection with the special category status for the state, Kumar alleged that Congress had "dragged" its steps under pressure of proposed ally (RJD).

"There was a possibility of providing special category status to the poor and backward states like Bihar in the wake of the Raghuram Rajan committee report... But the Congress under pressure of its proposed ally (Lalu Prasad's RJD) has dragged its steps," he said.

Alleging that the interim budget was prepared in view of the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, he said it however, would be of little help to the UPA and Congress.

"Congress and UPA will not gain anything out of this budget, which will halt the pace of development of the country."