Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday praised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his “inspirational” prohibition policy. His compliments for Kumar came right after the Janata Dal (United) chief supported the Centre’s demonetisation move.

Modi said Bihar’s ban on alcoholic beverages could inspire the whole country if it proved to be successful. “Social change is very tough thing to forge, yet he has shown remarkable ability in implementing prohibition,” the prime minster said. Modi was speaking at a public meeting held to mark the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, who was born in Bihar. “I want to appreciate Nitish Kumar ji for the effort he has undertaken to save future generations from alcoholism,”he said.

However, the two senior leaders have not always gotten along. Modi had led his party’s campaign against the JD(U) in the 2015 Bihar elections, and Kumar had walked out of an alliance with the saffron party in 2013, after they decided to project Modi as the prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.