Narendra Modi's popularity has terrified Nitish Kumar: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has trashed former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's barbs against Narendra Modi, and said that leaders like Nitish and others have understood that Modi's popularity chart is growing, and therefore, feel the need to make such comments.

"This has become a fashion to comment against Narendra Modi, as whether it is Nitish Kumar, Rahul Gandhi, Mulayam Singh or anyone else have now realized the ground realities, and therefore, they are throwing stones in the dark. But, let me assure you that with each passing day Modi's popularity is growing and that is helping us more as people are believing us," said Naqvi.

Naqvi's reaction came a day after Kumar criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying that he would would prefer political annihilation rather than allying with that party again.

Kumar also questioned Modi for not replying to data and questions that he had put forward on the Gujarat chief minister's development model.

"Modi did not reply to the data I had put forward. Tribal health centres in Gujarat are in poor state. They lack doctors and proper buildings. One-third of BT Cotton workers are child labourers. Children are exploited in Gujarat," Kumar said.

This is not the first time that Kumar has attacked the BJP and Modi. Earlier, he had charged Modi with being arrogant. He said: "The style of talking and body posture shows who is arrogant. Everybody knows that actually arrogance is pouring from every inch of his body."

Kumar's statement had come days after Modi at a rally in Purnea had said that the Bihar CM's arrogance was higher than Mt.Everest.