Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sushil Modi said on Sunday that the saffron party has closed all its doors for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. His reaction came after Union Minister Ramdas Athawale claimed that Nitish Kumar could return to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) fold anytime.
Reacting to Ramdas Athawale’s claims on Nitish Kumar’s NDA return, Sushil Modi said it was his personal opinion but the Bihar chief minister has only become a burden and doubts Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will be able to bear it for long.
“Even if he wants to come, BJP is not ready. Ramdas Athawale is neither a BJP spokesperson nor an NDA spokespeson. He is the leader of a party and a Union Minister so this must be his personal opinion but BJP has shut all its doors,” Sushil Modi said.
The former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister also said that even if Nitish Kumar wants to come they will not welcome him.
“He has become a burden; I doubt RJD will be able to bear it for long. His capability to transfer votes has ended. In the last Vidhan Sabha election it was seen that had Narendra Modi not come, he [Nitish Kumar] would not have won 44 seats. In politics, you are important if you have the power of votes. Otherwise, you hold no importance,” the BJP leader added.
WHAT DID ATHAWALE SAY?
Ramdas Athawale, Union Minister of State for Social, has claimed that Nitish Kumar can return to the BJP-led NDA anytime.
“Nitishji is with us and he can return to the NDA anytime. Earlier, he was with RJD and he returned to NDA and again he has gone to RJD. I am not happy that Nitishji has left us again,” the Union Minister said while talking to the reporters in Patna.
Armed with the support of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (Grand Alliance) Kumar quit the BJP in August 2022 and stripped the party out of power.
(With agency inputs)
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Updated: 30 Jul 2023, 10:34 PM IST