Highlights: Nitish Kumar speaks to NDTV on split with BJP

New Delhi: The Janata Dal (United) last week announced it's split with the Bharatiya Janata Party or the BJP, its partner of 17 years. Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar today spoke to NDTV on the split. Here are the highlights:

• We had to sever ties, there was no other option left
• BJP knew our concerns well, we wanted contentious issues aside
• We had emphasised the need for a broader coalition
• In an era of coalitions, BJP had a larger role to play
• There was a need to stick to the broader national agenda
• We did not name any person, we listed out attributes
• BJP did not exploit the anti-Congress public sentiment
• It's not just about secularism but growth model as well
• On allying with Congress: Don't read too much into Congress voting in our favour, cannot say what will happen post-poll
• BJP created a lot of hype over one individual (hinting at Mr Modi)
• Politics doesn't run of technicalities but perception
• BJP is indulging in politics of convenience
• Was the BJP under corporate pressure (to anoint Modi)?
• BJP didn't even listen to a senior leader like Advani
• As of now, talks of Federal Front only in the air
• Talks about a Federal Front now seem premature
• Eastern states have common problems, can help each other
• I am not in the race for Prime Minister's post
• We want growth with justice
• There should be a paradigm shift in development policy
• BJP slogans in Assembly proved that we took right decision
• Don't know what happened has to the BJP, its leaders look helpless
• Good that we took a timely decision to snap ties