Nitish air ways

I quite like this Nitish Kumar fellow. At a time when everybody wants more money for their state coffers, the Bihar CM has returned the Rs 5 crore Kosi flood relief money given by the Gujarat BJP government.

I quite like this Nitish Kumar fellow. At a time when everybody wants more money for their state coffers, the Bihar CM has returned the Rs 5 crore Kosi flood relief money given by the Gujarat BJP government.

HT Image

Did he return it because he abhors money, that favourite object of his predecessor Lalu Prasad?

No. He’s actually making the people of Bihar remember what it is to not funnel their money into the pockets of politicians, goons and officials. He’s returned the Rs 5 crore because the state BJP had come out with newspaper ads claiming credit for the flood relief.

That was objectionable enough for Nitish to return the money?

Well, on top of that, the ads carried a photo of Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar raising their clasped hands on a podium.

Why, was the picture photoshopped? And aren’t they both NDA allies?

The picture was genuine and taken at an NDA rally in Ludhiana last year. What bothers Nitish is that Modi is gripping his hand — not the other way round, or both gripping each other’s.

If he’s as smart as he looks, he should take a call on that after the polls.
Do say: Nitish is an even straighter, more honest and canny version of Naveen Patnaikji in Orissa.
Don’t say: Bihar needs to become the new Gujarat.