Will review demonetisation outcome on Jan 23: Nitish Kumar

Patna: JD(U) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday sought to scotch speculation over his delay in reviewing the outcome of demonetisation, saying the party would scrutinise scrapping of notes on January 23 and come out with comments after January 24.

Kumar did not make direct comment on the speculation of him becoming closer to BJP in the wake of the show of bonhomie between him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi who praised him for the commendable arrangement for 350th Prakash Parva and also on liquor ban.

"It (the 'bonhomie') is your way of seeing things," he told reporters.

"It was a social event and we did not talk politics there," he said on his interaction with Modi on the dais as well both praising each other at the function in Gandhi Maidan on January 5.

On demonetisation, the Chief Minister said, there is no point speculating over the delay of the review.

Kumar said he had earlier announced that his priority was organisation of Prakash Parva, then Kalchakra puja of Buddhists and the human chain on January 21 to express people's resolve towards prohibition.

"After completion of these events, a meeting of the three parties of the Grand Alliance government would be held on the fourth Monday (January 23) where the entire Cabinet would be present," he said.

"In the evening (of January 23), the core committee of JD(U) would sit to review the outcome of the scrapping of Rs 1000 and old Rs 500 notes," he said adding the birth anniversary of veteran socialist leader Karpoori Thakur would be observed on January 24.

"After these events, I will interact with media persons and answer all queries," the Chief Minister said.

On the Prime Minister praising liquor ban in Bihar, Kumar counted virtues of prohibition and said over 2 crore people would take part in the January 21 human chain across the state in support of prohibition. All parties are invited to join it without flags or banners, he said.