Bhai-Bhai again? BJP to join Nitish's human chain

The U-turn comes after Modi praised Nitish Kumar for his prohibition drive in Bihar.
M I Khan reports from Patna.

Friends turn foe, opposition turns into support; all this is possible in politics.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's proposed formation of the world's longest human chain on January 21 in support of prohibition in the state has received support from an unexpected quarter -- the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The development comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised prohibition in the state.

Bihar BJP President Nityanand Rai announced January 10 that his party will participate in the January 21 event, but added a final decision will be taken on January 12.

According to senior BJP leaders, party President Amit Shah, who arrives in Patna on Tuesday, may announce the party's participation in the human chain.

Interestingly, most senior BJP leaders from Bihar, including Union ministers, had criticised Nitish Kumar over his decision to impose prohibition in the state and termed it a black law.

Nitish Kumar on Monday urged all political parties to join the human chain in support of prohibition in Bihar.

The human chain is likely to be 11,292 kilometres long and spread over all panchayats, blocks and districts.

According to state government officials, nearly 2,000 people will hold each other's hands in a radius of a kilometre and in all nearly 20 million people will join in.

The sudden bonhomie between the BJP and the Janata Dal-United came after Modi supported Nitish Kumar's decision to impose prohibition during the Prakash Utsav.

Many speculate the praise was to thank Nitish Kumar for his support of demonetisation at a time when Opposition leaders had slammed the Centre over the policy.