Mamata miffed with Nitish? RJD in, but Bihar CM stays away from note ban fight

Patna: After her mega rally in Lucknow, Trinamool Congress Chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken her fight against Centre’s demonetisation decision to Patna, where she will sit on a dharna to demand roll back of the move. However, the TMC supremo is reportedly miffed with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who will not be joining her in her protest.

Mamata had met RJD Supremo Lalu Prasad on Tuesday evening, who said that he will accompany Banerjee during the dharna, however, RJD alliance partner and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar led JD(U) will not participate.

Talking to reporters in Patna, Banerjee said every political party has its own stand on the demonetisation issue and so do Nitish Kumar and his party. But according to an NDTV report, Mamata expressed unhappiness that Kumar did not receive her at the Patna airport.

The Bihar CM is one of the very few Opposition leaders that had supported the Centre's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes. But reports said his stand has led to a rift between his party and the RJD.

Mamata Banerjee on the other hand has been fiercely fighting against Demonetisation. Earlier in Lucknow, she questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi on why BJP MPs and MLAs should submit their bank account transaction details only for the post-demonetisation period and not since the NDA government came to power.

After her rally, Mamata thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party and the people of the state in a series of tweets.

While leading a protest march against demonetisation in Kolkata, Mamata said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has acted like god in implementing the demonetisation decision without caring about the common people.

She also threatened to demonstrate outside Prime Minister Modi's residence in the national capital against the demonetisation move.

"The people are distressed. I believe such a step has not been taken anywhere worldwide. Suddenly Modi ji felt, he acts like God. He has done whatever he wants, without knowing the consequence. Ask him why there's scarcity of notes in banks. If there were ample notes in banks then nothing would have bothered us. Without any proper strategy he took the step," she said.

"I am taking pledge that either I'll die or live, but will remove PM Modi from Indian politics," she said on Monday.