Don't see everything politically, says Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday made it clear that his support to demonetisation does not mean he is moving towards the BJP. Nitish said that such interpretations will not deter him from supporting attack on black money. He also said that demonetisation alone would not be sufficient and other steps such as action against unnamed property and prohibition are required.

Speaking at the Hindustan Times Summit, Kumar gave a clear indication that though he is not going to be soft towards the BJP, he would not be going out on the streets against demonetisation like other Opposition leaders. He hit back at Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee for calling him a traitor and dismissed her street politics. “Excessive aggression changes people’s perception,” Nitish said.

The Bihar chief minister, however, clarified that he does not have any difference with senior party leader Sharad Yadav. “There is no habit left to see things easily and normally. We should look beyond politics,” Nitish lamented, and said that his support to demonetisation should be viewed in the context of his crackdown on corrupt bureaucrats and other such measures.

In order to further distance himself from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nitish accused him of always being in news and asked: Is this what you mean by governance? Work less but focus fully on campaign, is this government?”