Patna: The verbal war between the BJP-JD(U) combine and the RJD over Bihar’s interests ahead of the Dec 12, 2026, renewal of the India-Bangladesh Treaty on sharing Ganga water intensified on Monday with deputy CM Vijay Kumar Choudhary and RJD’s Buxar MP Sudhakar Singh trading arguments.Signed on Dec 12, 1996, the treaty is due for renewal after 30 years. BJP and JD(U) functionaries have accused former CM Lalu Prasad of neglecting Bihar’s interests when the treaty was signed.“Now that the discussion on the renewal of the treaty has to take place towards the end of the year (2026), the Bihar govt, led by CM Samrat Choudhary, has presented its point of view on the matter in sync with the views of (former CM and JD(U) national president) Nitish Kumar before the Centre and has also demanded that Bihar’s concerns be addressed and solution to its problems found,” deputy CM Vijay Kumar Choudhary said on Monday.His statement followed a meeting in Delhi on Saturday between CM Samrat Choudhary, Vijay and JD(U) working president Sanjay Kumar Jha and external affairs minister S Jaishankar. Vijay said Jaishankar had assured them Bihar’s interests would be discussed before the treaty renewal.Vijay also hit out at Lalu over his claims that his govt had strongly pursued Bihar’s interests before the treaty was signed.“The statement of Lalu Prasad on Farakka barrage is not only confusing, but also not based on facts,” Vijay said, adding, “the Treaty was signed ignoring Bihar’s interests during his period as CM, and now for his inaction, he is making baseless claims.”Responding, Sudhakar demanded that Bihar and seven other states with stakes in Ganga water sharing be invited for detailed discussions before renewal of the treaty.He also submitted a seven-page note outlining Bihar’s concerns over the use of Ganga water by the seven states and Bangladesh.“Bihar’s claims should be given due recognition and attention as a stakeholder in the sharing of Ganga water by all the eight states and Bangladesh, and also in the light of the development of national inland waterway – 1 (between Allahabad and Haldia port),” his note said.
