Sushil Modi asks Nitish Kumar to review ties with RJD, Congress

Patna: With the political pot on the boil in Bihar since Chief Minister Nitish Kumar supported the Centre's demonetisation move despite protests by allies, BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Tuesday asked him to review ties with RJD and Congress and said his party would consider any proposal of realignment from JD(U).

Reacting to Kumar's comment yesterday that efforts were on for a long time to end his political career, Modi said it would "definitely" happen if he continued to stay with RJD and Congress.

"If you (Kumar) stay with Lalu Prasad and Congress you will definitely be killed politically," he told reporters.

Hailing the JD(U) National President for supporting demonetisation, he said, "Any campaign against black money and corruption is not possible in the company of RJD and Congress."

"RJD is known for its corrupt practices while the Congress rule was marred with scams," said Modi, the Parliamentary board chief of Bihar unit of BJP.

He alleged that due to the alliance with RJD and Congress, Kumar's effective step against corruption through Special Court Act which has provision for confiscation of property of a guilty has "slowed down".

Asked if there is any chance of a reunion of JD(U) and BJP, the Leader of Opposition in Bihar Legislative Council was quick to say: "If a proposal comes from JD(U), the party would consider."

"After all Nitish Kumar stayed with BJP for 17 years and this was 'golden period' for Bihar," Modi, who was the deputy chief minister during the NDA rule in the state, said and added Kumar's image got a boost during the time.

"Politics is a game of possibilities ... You never know when one comes with whom in politics," he added.

He, however, feigned ignorance about media reports of Kumar meeting BJP president Amit Shah and talking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about his support for demonetisation.

"These are high level issues to which I have no access," he said.

Meanwhile, former chief minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi took a swipe at Sushil Modi for his comments.

"If (Sushil) Modi wants he can take Kumar home on his lap," she told reporters emerging from the Legislative Council after it adjourned for the day.

Kumar had led JD(U) to severe ties with BJP in June 2013 after 17 years over the elevation of Narendra Modi as PM candidate. He joined hands with RJD and Congress before the Bihar polls last year and romped back to power.