In a veiled jibe at the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar claimed that "prachar prasar" (propaganda) was going on with little on offer for the poorer states. Kumar, who snapped ties with the BJP two months ago, also lamented that the long-standing demand for special status to Bihar, which "all poor states should get", was not accepted.

"Is anything worthwhile happening in poor states? Only propaganda is underway (Garib gurba rajyon mein kuchh ho raha hai? Jhuthe prachar prasar mein laga rahta hai)," said the septuagenarian on Thursday without taking any names. The longest-serving chief minister of Bihar, who has been pitching for a united opposition to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, was addressing a function at the CM's secretariat where he gave away letters of appointment to nearly 200 Urdu translators and stenographers.