BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
It's personal, said Shatrughan Sinha as he drove up to meet man of the moment Nitish Kumar, who will be Bihar's chief minister for a third term after a humongous victory in the assembly elections on Sunday.
The 'Grand Alliance' that Nitish Kumar led in the election crushed Shatrughan Sinha's party the BJP,
winning 178 of the 243 seats. The BJP's alliance could manage to win only 58.
After the meeting Mr Sinha said, "Nitish Kumar is a tall leader and will be good for Bihar."
He said he did not think his meeting with the chief minister was an embarrassment for the BJP. "If the BJP thought I was an embarrassment, I would not be in the party," he said.
"If somebody wants to 'take me to task' they're welcome to do so, I didn't do anything wrong. I am no enemy of the BJP, as you put it, I have served the party loyally for years," Mr Sinha added. After saying this, he headed for a meeting with RJD chief Lalu Yadav.
Mr Sinha, actor turned politician, is already in the cross-hairs of his party's leadership for his repeated praise of Nitish Kumar in the run-up to the election. After Sunday's defeat, he needled his party further in a series of controversial tweets.
"It appears the issue of Bihari vs Bahari (and Bihari Babu's absence) has been settled once and for all," he tweeted, also wishing "our victorious friends" well and "appealing for introspection to our people. The writing was always on the wall".
"Bihari vs Bahari (outsider)" was Nitish Kumar's key attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who led the BJP's campaign in Bihar. The outspoken Mr Sinha, who is upset at being sidelined by his party, had earlier criticised the BJP's decision not to project anyone as presumptive chief minister and seek votes for the PM.
"Punish those who led the BJP to defeat in Bihar,"
Mr Sinha said yesterday, one among several voices of criticism within the BJP after the defeat in Bihar.
Mr Sinha's tweets this morning were more conciliatory. "Lessons learnt...hopefully. Time to forgive, forget & work towards a better future with passion, dedication, teamwork, humility, commitment." he said.
BJP leaders have earlier indicated that action against Mr Sinha would be taken only after the Bihar elections.