Cracks widen within Bihar BJP

PATNA, July 22:  Cracks are widening within Bihar BJP with more party legislators coming in the open and alleging lack of inner democracy with one MLA openly vouching for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar saying he would serve as a better Prime Minister.

The voice of rebellion that started yesterday by party MLA from Hayaghat in Darbhanga, Amarnath Gami is growing shriller and more and more MLAs are venting anger against party affairs and particularly blaming senior party leader Sushil Kumar Modi for the sorry condition.

BJP MLA from Jale in Darbhanga Vijay Kumar Mishra came out in support of Gami.

“Injustice has been done with Gami who has been suspended from the party without show cause notice,” Mishra told PTI today.

He said he is with Gami in this battle of justice.

BJP MLA from Moiuddinnagar in Samastipur Rana Gangeshwar Singh is more forthcoming.

Singh sang paens to CM Nitish Kumar and said if JD(U) gets 20-30 MPs in the 2014 parliamentary elections, he would definitely become Prime Minister.

Singh questioned “rigidity” of party on name of Narendra Modi and suggested party leadership to “change the player” so that Nitish Kumar could be brought back to NDA.

“I am openly with Nitish Kumar and can make any sacrifice for him,” he told.

Gami in the meantime said he has no repentance as he spoke the truth.

Narendra Singh, a senior minister in the Nitish Kumar government, claimed that “around 42 BJP MLAs and 17 from RJD are standing on the doors of JD(U)”.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is meeting JD(U) legislators, state party office bearers and prominent workers from across the state to draw strategy for “mission 2014”.

The marathon meeting is going at CM’s One Anne Marg residence since morning.

With rift within BJP widening, party general secretary and in-charge of state affairs Dharmendra Pradhan has arrived here.

Sushil Kumar Modi and state party president Mangal Pandey have charged the CM with “instigating” rebellion within BJP by “luring” some leaders in a bid to save his chair.

Gami had yesterday claimed that nearly a dozen BJP MLAs are of same thinking and are angry over Sushil Modi “hijacking” the party.

BJP leaders claimed that many MLAs had boycotted legislature party meeting on the eve of confidence vote on June 19 which forced the party to stage walk out before voting.

BJP vice president C P Thakur, whose reservation against Sushil Kumar Modi is no secret, has said that some party leaders and workers are unhappy in Patna also and the leadership needs to talk to them. (AGENCIES)