In the backdrop of LK Advani’s unrelenting opposition to Narendra Modi, former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi caused a stir with his tweet criticising the party patriarch for “failing” understand public sentiment.
Mr. Modi tweeted, “Advaniji has failed to gauge the public mood. Adavaniji himself declared Atalji as PM candidate now also he could have done the same for Namo.”
Elaborating on the tweet on Thursday, Mr. Modi said Mr. Advani “should respect the ‘janbhavana’ [public sentiment] and Narendra Modi should be declared the party’s prime ministerial candidate as soon as possible.”
“Advaniji is our senior most leader. If he were not there, Narendra Modi or Shivraj Chauhan would not have been able to become Chief Ministers. During his lifetime, he nurtured a second line of leadership in the BJP. After the NDA split in Bihar, all of us have been conducting several tours in the State. We have organised around 11 rallies which have received a very good response. Not just the BJP workers and supporters, but the common man too, who is fed up with the Congress sees the BJP and in that he sees Narendra Modi as the alternative,” Sushil Modi told reporters at the party office.
He clarified that his tweet did not express any displeasure over Mr. Advani’s stand. Interestingly, the former deputy chief minister also tweeted at the same time that “Politics is the only profession in which people aspire till their last. Ministerial berth can resurrect a dead politician.”
However, Sushil Modi said this tweet has no connection with the one on Mr. Adavni. “It was said in a general context about the character of politicians.”
Meanwhile, preparations are on in full swing for Narendra Modi’s Hoonkar Rally at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on October 27. Releasing posters for the rally here on Thursday Bihar BJP president Mangal Pandey the rally would see an unprecedented attendance.
“Today the people want change and a strong leadership at the Centre in the form of Mr. Modi. In light of this building public mood, leaders from several parties are joining hands with the BJP,” Mr. Pandey said.
On Thursday, Bihar Congress leader and former Union Minister of State Dasai Chaudhary joined the BJP in the presence of Mr. Pandey and other senior leaders.
“Any one who goes to the Congress comes out tainted,” Mr. Chaudhary said.
Along with him several other local leaders, including Ramsagar Prasad and Ravishankar Singh of the Janata Dal (United) and Anil Singh of the Congress joined the BJP.
