Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday supported the demand of his alliance partner, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, for reservation in government jobs for local youth and said the demand was “not out of context”. Mr Kumar also added that the Centre should intervene in the issue and make some concrete arrangement.

“The issue of domicile is not out of context…demand for reservation of local youths in government jobs is picking momentum in different parts of the country as well and hence the Centre should intervene to make out some concrete arrangement for protecting the interest of the locals,” Mr. Kumar said.

During his recent visit to the neighbouring state of Jharkhand, Mr. Kumar had supported the people there in their demand for reservation of local youth in government jobs. “I and my party are very much in favour that residents of Bihar too should get preference in employment in state jobs… we’re thinking of a domicile policy,” he said, adding that there was also a need for a “detailed discussion on the issue” and if all the parties arrived at a consensus, “steps should be taken in this direction.”

The Opposition BJP too had, earlier, declared that it would support the issue of reservation for local youth if the government brought in legislation to that effect. The RJD chief on Thursday had demanded 80 percent reservation for youth of the state in government jobs and admission in educational institutions. His son and state’s deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav too had said that “we’ve made demand for domicile policy for the youths of the state…now the top leadership of alliance should take a decision on it.”

Later, the Congress and Hindustani Awam Morcha also had come out in support of the domicile policy for the benefit of the youth of the state in government jobs. “The youth of Bihar would benefit from this policy and our party will support it,” said state Congress leader and Minister for Revenue and Land Reforms Dr. Madan Mohan Jha.