Congress warns Nitish Kumar over note ban

Patna: Taking note of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s statements backing the Centre’s demonetisation move, the Congress threatened to leave the Grand Secular Alliance — the ruling alliance in the state — on Wednesday.

State Congress president Ashok Chaudhary, who is also Bihar’s education minister, said, “We are in the alliance on the directions of the high command, and we can pull out immediately if they order us”.

The statement came during a protest march led by Congress leaders against demonetisation.

There are also reports that RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav is not happy with Nitish Kumar’s statements backing demonetisation. Sources said several leaders, including Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, have urged Mr Yadav to take a tough stand against the Mr Kumar’s statements.

Mr Kumar was the first non-NDA political leader to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the demonetisation issue, hours after it was announced on November 8. Mr Kumar had even urged the PM to launch a crackdown against those who had invested their black money in benami property.

On Monday, Mr Kumar had given another statement in favour of the Prime Minister by saying, “He is riding a tiger which may damage his alliances, but we respect the bold move”.