JUNE 10- Narendra Modi’s elevation as BJP’s campaign chief appears to have left the party’s coalition partner Janata Dal (United) with a Hobson’s choice.
Modi has not been declared the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate yet which could have prompted JD(U) to quit NDA, but his new role in the party has certainly aggravated Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s problems.
With Modi expected to hit the campaign trail across the country, including Bihar, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the JD(U) faces the choice of either taking a U-turn on campaigning by Modi in Bihar or sticking to its stand and charting a political path away from BJP.
Modi has been kept out of poll campaigns in the state purportedly at the behest of Kumar in the last two Lok Sabha and two state assembly elections.
JD(U) president Sharad Yadav said Modi had been appointed the chairman of the BJP’s poll campaign committee, and not that of NDA. Nitish has also offered to remain mum as he was away on his Seva Yatra, but other state JD(U) leaders have expressed similar opinions.
INDIA TODAY
