Patna

Amid rift between the BJP and JD(U) over caste based census, the former seems to have softened its stand on the issue. Bihar's deputy chief minister Renu Devi on Saturday said that the state government can conduct a caste based census on its own.

Renu Devi, during the Sahyog programme on Saturday, said: "The Karnataka and Odisha governments have conducted caste based census at their own expense. The Bihar government is also independent on opting for the same. Though, the central government has a clear stand of not to conduct caste based census in the country."

Earlier, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar while advocating a caste based census, wrote to PM Narendra Modi urging him to consider the same.

Some JD(U) ministers have openly said that if the Centre would not conduct a caste based census, the Bihar government is capable of doing that at its own expense.

Besides Renu Devi, Ram Surat Rai, another minister in the Nitish Kumar government under the BJP quota, advocated a caste based census in Bihar.