BJP fumes at JD(U), stoutly defends Narendra Modi

Party leader says JD(U) had soured its relationship with BJP through its speeches and behaviour in the past four years

The BJP today launched a strong critique of JD(U), its ally in the NDA, for concentrating its energy on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi instead of pressing matters like price rise, black money and anti-farmer policies of the UPA, and said it was unacceptable.

"Narendra Modi is a respected leader of the BJP and Chief Minister of Gujarat. BJP cannot accept that coalition party leaders make adverse comments against our leader and CM," state party president Mangal Pandey said in a statement here.

Pandey said he was a popular leader of the country and ushered in development in Gujarat due to which people of the state chose him CM for the third consecutive time.

"In place of hailing CM of coalition partner, they are criticising him and showering praise on UPA Prime Minister and Union finance minister who have pushed the country backward," Pandey said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had recently appreciated concern expressed by PM Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram on according a special category status to Bihar.

"Speeches made by coalition partner leaders in the last two days against us is against coalition dharma," he said.

Bihar BJP chief Sushil Kumar Modi said, "Such statements instead of strengthening the coalition will make it weak. Coalition is not run on condition but on the basis of suggestions, intelligence and coordination."

Pandey said that while the BJP was showing a larger heart by working peacefully, the JD(U) on the other hand had soured the relationship through its speeches and behaviour in the last four years.

"Despite this, we walked together considering the interest of 10.5 crore natives of Bihar by protecting them from the return of the jungle raj," Pandey said.

A large section of Bihar BJP leaders, including ministers Ashwani Choubey, Chandramohan Rai and Giriraj Singh, national vice president C P Thakur and MLA Rameshwar Chaurasia met Rajnath Singh to protest against Nitish Kumar's adverse comments against Narendra Modi.