Coalition politics has forced the BJP to delete the name of leader and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi from the list of party leaders who would campaign during the Bihar Assembly polls. The name of Mr Varun Gandhi, BJP MP from Pilibhit, is also missing from the list submitted to the Election Commission.
Bihar CM and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, who had objected to Mr Modi campaigning in Bihar, also told the BJP to ask its cadre not to raise the Ayodhya issue for political gain while campaigning. “It will send the wrong message to the party cadre in Bihar. Narendra bhai is one of the most sought-after BJP leaders during campaigning and the party is not sending him because Nitish Kumar doesn’t want him there,” said a senior party functionary.