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By IBNLive - NEW DELHI
20th June 2012 10:56 AM
The rift between Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Narendra Modi seems to have widened further. The JD(U) has indicated that it will quit the National Democratic Alliance if the BJP chooses Modi as its Prime Ministerial candidate.
While the JD(U) has been trying hard to cover up the matter by saying Nitish did not name anyone, speaking to CNN-IBN, JD(U) MP Sabir Ali made it clear that his party will not support Modi as the NDA's prime ministerial candidate. "He is from the BJP, we have no right to support Narendra Modi but we are saying if he will be promoted we will back out," said Ali.
"We are not targeting anybody. That's not our agenda. Our agenda as a coalition partner is to look that the NDA should improve and make a large picture," he added.
However, BJP leader Yatin Oza finds Modi apt for the Prime Minister's post and praises him saying "he has full capacity to take everybody together".
"Modi is one of the best secular leaders. Wait for six months and let the Gujarat elections come… it will silence each and every critic of his," said Oza.
Talking about the 2002 Gujarat riots and that it could be one reason Nitish is not ready to back Modi, Oza said, "I really don't know why we should keep this ghost alive?...It happened as a natural reaction from the majority community. It was beyond his visualisation, beyond his thinking that this would happen."
In an interview to the national daily 'Economic Times', Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had insisted that the NDA should name its Prime Ministerial candidate before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the candidate must have secular credentials and a liberal frame of mind.
This is not the first time that Nitish has made his aversion to Modi apparent. In 2011, at a BJP executive in Patna, the two were at loggerheads over an advertisement issued by the Gujarat BJP.
Modi has also been taking digs at the politicians from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh for what the Gujarat Chief Minister calls resorting to caste-based politics.
Nitish had then said that Modi, who has been a constant irritant in the JD(U)-BJP coalition ties in Bihar, should mind his own business instead of making comments on others.
"One should think about one's own situation (Bihar par tippani karne walon ko apne halaat ke bare me sochana chahiye)", he had told reporters in reply to a question when asked for his reaction to Modi's remarks targeting Bihar leaders.
Copyright © 2012 The New Indian Express. All rights reserved.
Comments(13)
The best chance for BJP to make its position clear. Nobody other than Mr Nitish seem to be having a problem with Mr Modi. Given the fact that BJP / NDA have to rise or fall with Mr Modi, it is better to break ranks with JD (U) and move forward to face the electorate. The deficit of Mr Nitish's support can be counter-balanced by like-minded parties of the BJP such as ADMK....
Posted by Ramanujam at 06/20/2012 11:22 Reply to this Report abuse
If Nitish Kumar do not want Narendra Modi to be India's P.M. candidate; then he should give out a name or put his Candidature for that important post. He should not black-mail and also wants BJP's support for his survival in Bihar.. Most of the Corporates and all Indians want a change in National Politics; because of the way UPA have been performing for the past two years. This time Modi will win more seats in Gujarat and set an example and Congress & its allies will lose their grip in Indian politics.
Posted by S. Ramachandran at 06/20/2012 14:53 Reply to this Report abuse
BJP as a party is much bigger than individuals. And more so to the fact that an alliance partner of BJP making such an audacious comments is something condemnable without further delay by BJP's top brass. Assuming JD (U) is willing to walk out, the loser is JD (u) and not otherwise. The support base can always can be created from AIADMK, BJD and Mercurial Mamata. It is time that Nitish is being reined, lest the damage will be more to him
Posted by S.Vasudevan at 06/20/2012 15:03 Reply to this Report abuse
Honestly speaking none of the minorities will want the congress to have a third chance. They have proved to be ineffective, all these scandals, people want a change. All want the BJP to come to power, to infuse a new approach to governance. But it seems that due to infighting the BJP leaders will allow the Congress to have a go third time but will not allow fellow leader from becoming PM. Its best to nominate Advani to the post of PM and Narendra Modi as deputy PM with some very important portfolios like Home Ministry, Aviation where he can prove a point and some time during the five years allow for a smooth transition of power to Modi.
Posted by A minority Indian at 06/20/2012 15:25 Reply to this Report abuse
No one need Nitish if he continues to behave like this. There will be time when he will change his mind in politics.
Posted by Akash at 06/20/2012 15:45 Reply to this Report abuse