Nitish Kumar, Hardik Patel Craft 'Modi Harao' Slogan For PM's Home Turf

Patna: Days after supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's currency ban, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today met Hardik Patel, the leader of the quota agitation for Patidars - traditional BJP supporters who are currently at odds with the party.

This afternoon, Mr Patel came to Patna to call on the Chief Minister, whom he wanted to invite for his "Kisan Sammelan," which will be held on January 28. This was the first meeting between the two and the 23-year-old was given a warm reception by Mr Kumar.

Mr Patel was accompanied by Brigadier Sudhir Sawant -- the convenor of the Maratha Kranti Morcha, one of the groups demanding quota for Marathas through silent marches across Maharashtra. Mr Kumar belongs to the agrarian Kurmi caste, and Mr Patel to the powerful Patidars who are demanding Other Backward Class status in Gujarat.

The three met for over two hours at the Chief Minister's residence in Patna. It was decided that the slogan of the proposed Kisan Sammelan would be "Modi harao, desh bachao (Vote out Modi, save the nation)," sources said. It would be the first time Mr Kumar, known to be an arch-rival of the Prime Minister, will visit Mr Modi's home state.

Mr Patel had led the 40-day agitation for reservation in jobs and education, which shook Gujarat last year and was suspected to have a role in the resignation of former Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.

Her successor Vijay Rupani met Mr Patel last year to take stock of the Patidar's demands. But a section of the Patidar community was far from calm. At a meeting with BJP chief Mr Shah in Surat last year, the supporters of Mr Patel had gone on a rampage, shouting slogans and vandalising furniture.

After today's meeting with Mr Kumar, Mr Patel said he met the Chief Minister as he wanted to unite people in his fight against the BJP. "We have to unite our society to fight against the BJP in Gujarat and elsewhere," he said.

In the aftermath of currency ban, there had been speculation of Mr Kumar's closeness with BJP chief Amit Shah. But earlier today, in an address to party workers, Mr Kumar said he would analyse his support to the currency ban as PM Modi had only asked for 50 days' time for the situation to normalise. "I don't keep reviewing decision in haste but will review and analyse everything in detail once this deadline comes to an end on December 30," he said.