Patna:
Will BJP's star campaigner Narendra Modi end up watching his party's Bihar campaign from distant Gujarat? At a meeting with top JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, the BJP failed to persuade its ally to let Modi campaign in Bihar - at least for now.
"We have decided Advaniji, Sushmaji, Jaitleyji and Gadkariji will campaign; there was no discussion on BJP CMs," said Sharad Yadav.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar refused to comment on this, saying he's not behind this.
This means Nitish Kumar's no to Modi still prevails.
With the alliance projecting Nitish, the BJP has little option but to restrict its own poster boy. But on face of it, the BJP offers brave words.
Narendra Modi is a very senior leader of our party and he will campaign," BJP vice president Muqtar Abbas Naqvi said.
This June, the Modi-Nitish tussle reached a flash point over a poster, which shows Bihar Chief Minister sharing the dais with Modi. Nitish fumed that the image was used without his consent.
He reacted by returning Modi's Rs 5 crore flood relief contribution to keep his secular image intact, thus putting the BJP on the backfoot.
Both BJP and Nitish Kumar need each other in Bihar. But Nitish is making it clear that he dictates the rules of the alliance. The BJP has little choice but to swallow the bitter pill.