Sushil Modi indicated that Paswan Junior could not have taken that step if his father were present.
Bihar’s top BJP leader Sushil Modi today tacitly condemned Chirag Paswan’s decision to reject Nitish Kumar’s leadership for the upcoming assembly elections. Only Nitish Kumar, he declared, will be prime minister, “whatever the outcome in terms of numbers,” indicating that the party was not encouraging Paswan’s hopes of occupying the highest position in the state in the event of a victory of the NDA.
After months of attacking the Chief Minister, Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party had decided to compete alone in Sunday’s elections, citing ideological reasons. Avoiding the technicality that Kumar’s Janata Dal United is part of the alliance, the LJP had said that it would continue the alliance with the BJP and form a government together after the elections.
Sushil Modi, who is also Kumar’s deputy in the state government, indicated that Paswan Junior could not have taken that step if his father were present.
“If Ram Vilas had been healthy, this would not have happened. No buts what ifs,” Modi said while addressing the media tonight about the turnout of seats in the upcoming elections.
Ram Vilas Paswan, 74, recently underwent heart surgery and is recovering in hospital.
Until now, the BJP has been silent on LJP’s move, raising suspicions in the Nitish Kumar camp that they had given their tacit approval. Party sources had also questioned the silence of the BJP in recent months when Chirag Paswan attacked the Chief Minister on multiple issues.
Sushil Modi indicated today that the NDA in this election will mean only four parties: the BJP, the JD (U), Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM and the Vikassheel Insaan Party.
“Only four NDA parties can use the photo of the prime minister during the campaign. If necessary, we will write to the Electoral Commission that the photo of prime minister Narendra Modi should not be misused,” he added.
Nitish Kumar issued a reminder of the contribution of the BJP and his Janata Dal United at Ram Vilas Paswan coming to the Rajya Sabha. “The NDA will work together towards the development of Bihar, there are no misunderstandings,” he added.
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