Even as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was seen warming up to the LJP supremo Ram Vilas Paswan and the two leaders shared dias during a rally in Muzaffarpur on Monday, atleast seven state BJP leaders were conspicuous by their absence. Those absent are the ones who have time and again vociferously talked in favor of Narandra Modi and swore their allegiance to him. So what transpired now that they alienated themselves from the rally of Narendra Modi who chose to launch the Bihar campaign from the bastion of JD(U)? Party insiders indicate that all is not well within the BJP on the issue of roping in LJP to the NDA fold, a party that chose to attack Narendra Modi for 12 years.
Former union health minister CP Thakur, former ministers Ramadhar Singh, Giriraj Singh, Ashwani Choubey and Chnadra Mohan Roy and MLA Achyuta Nand put forth personal reasons for absenting from the rally.
Talking to dna, senior BJP leader Giriraj Singh however said, "I have my support for all those who have been questioning the way the party is being run by leaders like Sushil Modi, Nand Kishore, state president Mangal Pandey and Rajeev Pratap Rudy. Why were there no consultation on who will be brought into the fold,"he said. He, however, said the alliance with the LJP will be in the favor of both the parties but questioned the way the deal was sealed.
Earlier, Ashwani Choubey talking to Zee Purvaiya, a sister concern of dna, had said on the question of Paswan Joining the NDA, "Paswan is a 'rajnitik lootera". He may be in spotlight now, but no one knows when he will loot the party and vanish."
"He had lashed at Narendra Modi. He does not have an ideology and I do not endorse the decision taken by the party," he added. He had even gone to Delhi to meet the central leadership of the party and appraised them of his reservations.
Ramadhar Singh said, "we are party workers and we are supposed to follow the dictats whether it is correct or not ask, Sushil Kumar Modi, Rajeev Pratap Rudy and Shanawaz Hussain."
The infighting within the state leadership of the BJP in Bihar seems to have reached a flash point where some BJP leaders have already become vocal against against the alleged high handedness of Sushil Modi.
Possibly unhappy with the deal, senior party leader Tara Kant Jha preferred to quit the party and join JD(U).
The so-called rebel group has now not only questioned the alliance with Ram Vilas Paswan but is also worried about the fact that the BJP entered into a pact with LJP on , "the terms and conditions of the LJP."
"Will Narendra Modi campaign for the Bahubalis in the LJP," questioned a senior BJP leader refusing to be named.
The fact that LJP is planning to field 4 candidates from within the family itself has also generated a heated political debate within the BJP. "How can the BJP now go to the electorate and ask people to vote on the issue of corruption, what was the need to enter into an allaince with Ram Vilas Paswan who is tainted, said a senior leader.
But the state leadership now more or less being commanded by Sushil Modi appears undisturbed from the tremors that have started surfacing
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