File Photo: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
While the BJP attempts to control damage from the Lalit Modi controversy, arch rival Nitish Kumar of the Janata Dal (United) has suggested that the ruling party learn from its senior leaders LK Advani and Yashwant Sinha.
Mr Advani and Mr Sinha, and also Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav, had immediately resigned as ministers years ago when their names cropped up the Jain Hawala scandal, Mr Kumar said today.
"There is a difference in the BJP of LK Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee and today's party," said Mr Kumar, who is the chief minister of Bihar and ended a 17-year partnership with the BJP two years ago when it became clear that it would project Narendra Modi for Prime Minister in the national election.
The opposition has demanded the resignation of Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje for supporting disgraced cricket tycoon Lalit Modi's immigration appeal to UK in 2011. It has also targeted foreign minister Sushma Swaraj, who had last year backed another request by Lalit Modi in the UK for urgent travel documents.
The BJP has said none of its ministers will resign. "Nobody is tainted, please," said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley last night.
In his swipe at the BJP, Nitish Kumar also referred to Mr Advani being sidelined by the BJP, when he said, "Who cares about or listens to LK Advani anyway."
In the latest slight, the 87-year-old Mr Advani was not invited to a function organised by an RSS-backed organisation to mark 40 years of Emergency in the capital yesterday. Invitations were sent to most other top BJP leaders including party chief Amit Shah.
Mr Advani, along with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and veteran leader Murli Manohar Joshi, was removed from the BJP's top decision-making group, its parliamentary board last year. They were transferred to what was called a mentoring role and were not given any posts.
Earlier this week, Yashwant Sinha, 82, another top leader who found no position in the new set-up had said, "All those who are above the age of 75 were declared brain dead on May 26, 2014, when tthe Modi government was sworn in, adding, "I am among those brain dead."