CPI leader AB Bardhan addresses the rally at Gandhi Maidan in Patna on Friday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

CPI veteran A.B. Bardhan on Friday backed chief minister Nitish Kumar’s case for according “special status category” to the state and the Bihar model of development, virtually wooing the JD(U) to join its proposed front to counter the BJP and the Congress.

Addressing the party’s Janakrosh Rally at Gandhi Maidan, he said: “The backward state (Bihar) must be accorded the special status category. It is the duty of the central government to give financial assistance to the state for carrying out development on its own (Bihar’s) path. The financial assistance would help promote agriculture and agro-based industries in Bihar.”

Around 40,000 party workers and sympathisers attended the rally organised in protest against the skyrocketing prices, corruption, unemployment and communalism.

Bardhan’s support to Nitish’s demand for the special category status is being seen in political circles as an attempt to consolidate Left’s relationship with the JD(U), which snapped its ties with the BJP in June. The JD(U) has been invited to the Left-sponsored secular conclave in New Delhi on October 30. Even a four-member committee comprising representatives from the JD(U), SP, CPI and CPM has been formed for successfully organising it. Nitish is likely to attend the meeting.

Bardhan on Monday not only refrained from attacking Nitish, he did not mention the name of the Left’s former ally Lalu Prasad, dropping hint that the CPI’s natural ally in Bihar was the JD(U). The sole CPI MLA in the Assembly had supported the JD(U) government when a confidence motion was moved after the latter parted ways with the BJP.

Bardhan appreciated the Bihar model of development, but was critical of the Nitish government for not executing recommendations of the D. Bandyopadhyay Committee.

“The committee set up by the Nitish government had recommended to give 10 decimal of land for house and an acre of land for cultivation to landless people, but the government later put the recommendations into cold storage. It is high time, Nitish started distributing land for constructing houses,” the senior CPI leader said.

Taking a dig at the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, who would address a rally at the same venue on Sunday, Bardhan said: “Abhi Dilli dur hai. Sidha rasta nahi hai (Delhi is still a long way. It is not an easy path).” Coming down heavily on the UPA government for snatching food from the common man, Aituc general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta said: “We shall have to fight against the central government for its wrong policies.”

The party general secretary, S. Sudhakar Reddy, was also critical of the UPA government for price rise. State secretary Rajendra Prasad Singh, B.N. Lal and U.N. Mishra also addressed the meeting.