With Nitish Kumar silent,JD(U) plays wait and watch

Even as BJP workers celebrate elevation of Modi,Bihar CM maintains a stoic silence on the matter.

Even as BJP workers celebrated the elevation of Narendra Modi,Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar,who concluded a fresh leg of his Sewa Yatra,having toured Madhepura,Araria and Bhagalpur,maintained a stoic silence on the matter.

At Dharhara village in Bhagalpur,the police had to cordon off adjoining minority-dominated Lattipakad village so that the media and local Muslim leaders are unable to ask Nitish questions on Modi. Imarat Shariah,a socio-religious organisation of the minority community,however,wanted Nitish to take a stand to reaffirm his secular credentials. Imarat Shariahs Nazim Maulana Anisur Rehman Quasmi said,Now that Modi is the BJP campaign chief,Nitish should take a call; if he seeks our advice,we can surely give him suggestions.

A section of the JD(U) leadership is of the view that the party should severe ties with the BJP to play up its secular credentials and score over the RJD. However,party sources said the final decision rested with Nitish,who is focussing on his Sewa Yatra to woo back voters after the recent loss at Assembly bypoll.

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A fortnight ago,Nitish had made it clear that party had taken a stand on the NDA PM at its Delhi national executive and would abide by the deadline given to the BJP. But with the Bihar BJP inviting the Gujarat CM to attend the partys Hunkar rally in October here,the JD(U) finds itself pushed to the wall.

It is an internal decision of the BJP that has come after a lot of resistance within the party. We are concerned only about the NDA PM candidate, said JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar. JD(U) national spokesperson Shivanand Tiwari said,It is up to senior party leaders to assess what Modis elevation means.

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