Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said special status for Bihar would be the core issue for the state’s people in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

He was speaking at a public meeting at Garpura in Begusarai district, where he had gone to inaugurate projects worth over Rs 344 crore for the area. There was a near-stampede at the function with people in the back trying to go forward and throwing chairs from the front row to make way. Someone from the back threw a slipper, which fell in the D area. It was removed immediately but the culprit was not caught. Nitish declared that the crowd was enthusiastic.

During his speech, Nitish said the place was historic as the state’s first chief minister, Shri Krishna Sinha, launched the salt satyagraha (movement) at the same place during the freedom movement.

Nitish announced that the railways had agreed to rename Garpura railway station after Shri Krishna Sinha. The projects inaugurated included an engineering college building named after late poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar.

Nitish said Shri Krishna Sinha laid the foundation of modern India and declared that he would ensure that the state retained its former glory. The chief minister added that he wanted Biharis to go out of the state to earn more. “But I do not want Biharis to go out simply for food and survival,” he said. He attributed seeking special status category for the state to the same reason.

“It would help speed up development in the state,” Nitish said. He added that he had always stressed on education for the deprived sections of the society. JD(U) MPs Lallan Singh and Monajir Hussain were also present on the occasion.