‘With Modi’s elevation, BJP on path of destruction’

Taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said that the saffron party was on a path of destruction and claimed JD(U)’s decision of severing ties with it three months back has been vindicated. ‘I told you so,’ said Kumar in Patna.

‘The people of this country will never accept divisive forces. Their aim is to divide and rule this nation. We knew this would happen. About them, we can say vinash kale vipreet buddhi (taking wrong decisions when on path of destruction),’ said Kumar in Patna. Kumar, who broke up with the BJP over the issue of Modi’s possible elevation after staying in the NDA for 17 years, said the saffron party was working against opposition unity.

‘This was the right time to unite opposition parties against the UPA government on the issues of price rise and corruption... But the BJP is working on some other agenda,’ said the Bihar chief minister.
Instead of adding new partners in the NDA, it lost a trusted friend like JD(U), Kumar added. ‘The BJP is trying to create an environment in favour of their leader but they would never succeed.’
Without naming veteran BJP leader LK Advani, who has been isolated in the party on the issue of Modi’s elevation, Kumar said: ‘There is no respect for elders in BJP.’

Meanwhile, trying to downplay the internal rift within the BJP, party president Rajnath Singh said there were no differences with veteran party leader LK Advani. ‘Advani continues to be our leader, guardian and mentor. He has every right to be angry.

I take cognizance of it and would try to address it. If a guardian scolds somebody in the family, it does not mean there are differences within the family.’ said Singh. The BJP president added Advani has not been isolated in the party and also the veteran leader never opposed Modi’s candidature.

Many senior leaders of the party, including Sushma Swaraj, Ananth Kumar, Balbir Punj and Ravi Shankar Prasad also went to Advani’s residence to pacify the leader. Emerging after a 90-minute meeting, Swaraj tried to play down the divide and said: ‘No one is upset.’

Sources, however, said during the meeting the issue of Advani’s scathing letter to the BJP president where he expressed disappointment over his style of functioning was discussed.