Nitish against Modi,Varun campaigning

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Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is not in favour of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and BJP MP Varun Gandhi campaigning in Bihar during the forthcoming Assembly polls. Mr Kumar fears that campaigning by both these leaders could hurt the JD(U) Muslim vote bank which he has been trying to consolidate over the years. While Mr Modi is a clear “no-no,” a final decision is yet to be taken by the JD(U) on Mr Gandhi. The majority, including Mr Kumar, however is against Varun campaigning in the state.
Mr Kumar is also learnt to have hit out at Mr Modi for flaunting the aid of Rs 5 crores given for Bihar flood relief and told the JD(U) delegates that the 2005 arrangement with the BJP on seat adjustment and campaign would be followed in this year’s state polls.
Sources said Mr Kumar, while addressing the party delegates on the concluding day of the party’s national executive meeting, said in clear terms that he would not tolerate any attempt to tinker with the 2005 arrangement with the BJP on seat adjustment and campaign. “In the last Bihar Assembly elections, Mr Modi was not part of the BJP’s election campaign. So this year too he cannot take part in the election campaign. This has been agreed to by the two parties during the parleys that Mr Kumar had with senior BJP leaders after the events of July 12 in Patna,” revealed a senior JD (U) leader.
JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav, while addressing the media, confirmed that the 2005 arrangement between the two alliance partners included campaign along with the seat adjustment. When specifically asked if the Gujarat chief minister will not be campaigning in Bihar elections, Mr Yadav shot back: “Kisi baat ko kehne ki maryada hoti hai, jo hum keh chuke use agar aap nahi samajh rahe to hum kya karen (I have stated what I had to say in a dignified manner, if you do not understand then what can I do).”
When further asked whether Mr Varun Gandhi would campaign in Bihar, Mr Yadav said: “Kaun Varun Gandhi”. However, the party leaders said Mr Gandhi was not actively into politics in 2005 and no final decision has yet been taken against him.
Addressing the party delegates, Mr Kumar is learnt to have again questioned the motive of full-page advertisements appearing in Patna-based newspapers, with Mr Modi holding his hands. “Not just Mr Modi, even the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra sent Rs 5 crores for flood relief and if there be a need even the Bihar government will extend such support to other states. How can anyone flaunt such support?” Mr Kumar reportedly told party delegates.
The JD(U)’s tough stand on hardliners in the BJP has come in the backdrop of the party making all out attempts to reach out to the Muslims.
“The JD(U) will reach out to all sections of the society in this year’s elections. The party will not depend on any caste equations,” Mr Yadav told reporters.