New Delhi:
In a fiery 40-minute speech at the Janata Dal (United)'s national executive meet in Delhi today, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took several digs at Narendra Modi without naming him.
Citing Atal Bihari Vajpayee's example, Mr Kumar made it clear that only a person who can take everyone along can lead the country. "Only one who can carry with him all the diverse sections of people can become the leader of the nation. Atalji always used to say follow your Rajdharma. This was Atal Bihari Vajpayee's personality. Now, if there is an attempt to change the path, there is bound to be problems," he said. (
Highlights of what Nitish Kumar said)
Mr Kumar said his party "will not compromise on the principle of secularism... PM candidate should have impeccable secular image" - the strongest hint yet that Mr Modi isn't acceptable to the JD(U) as the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP-led NDA.
The JD(U) also put the BJP on notice, giving them till December to name a PM candidate.
"We want the train to be on track but if the train derails, we will decide according to the situation and time on what to do. Who has seen tomorrow?" Mr Kumar said.
He also said he did not nurse any "illusion" of being a prime ministerial nominee with such "little" strength of his party.
Mr Kumar also highlighted the "inclusive" model of governance in Bihar, saying, "We have bound the society together and not divided them."
JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav admitted ideological differences with the BJP. "Many issues on which we don't agree... Masjid-Mandir issue - we don't share the same ideology," he said.
Since his third election win in Gujarat, many in the BJP feel Mr Modi is the party's best bet for the 2014 elections. But to Mr Kumar, who relies on the 15% Muslim population in Bihar for electoral support, Mr Modi is unacceptable.
Mr Modi was in office when Gujarat was ravaged by communal riots in 2002, in which around 1200 people were killed, most of them Muslims.