Dal sceptical of ‘good BJP bad BJP’ line

Patna: Chief minister Nitish Kumar’s making a difference between “good and bad” BJP has left leaders of his JDU unimpressed.

Nitish cited the example of deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who issued an appeal to observe Ram Navami with decorum and not damage the social fibre with objectionable slogans. And even on Saturday evening, Nitish warned that “some people” were out to disturb the social harmony of Bihar to reap the votes of one section of the society. The import was clear, there are good BJP leaders, and bad ones.

“If it was so, how can Union ministers Giriraj Singh and Ashwini Choubey keep on taunting Nitish?” a senior JDU leader said under cover of anonymity.

Several JDU leaders have already aired their apprehensions about BJP leaders trying to create social tension. Nitish on Friday night told his leaders to ignore the likes of Choubey and Giriraj and pay heed to what Sushil Modi says. But Choubey’s son Arjit Shashwat, declared absconder by Bhagalpur police who have booked him under non-bailable sections for fomenting strife, has caused further embarrassment for the chief minister by claiming that Nitish was his “guardian”.

JDU leaders point out that it is a different B JP leadership Nitish has aligned with, and not the one he was familiar with during the L.K. Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpaiyee era.

“Even Sushil Kumar Modi’s writ does not run strong in the party, or else Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai would not have delivered a speech saying that Araria would become an ISIS hub if the RJD won,” remarked a JDU MLC, pointing out that even the deputy CM has avoided speaking out publicly against the two Union ministers.

There are fears in the JDU that BJP leaders who Nitish dubs as fringe enjoy blessings of the BJP brass.

“It would have taken just a word from the party’s top leadership to shut Giriraj and Ashwini up. But the word does not appear to be coming. Both are getting more and more aggressive,” said an ex-MP of the JDU, who said leaders like Sushil Modi seem to have been sidelined in state politics.

Courtesy: The Telegraph