Modi takes on 'betrayer' Nitish Kumar in Bihar

Bharatiya Janata Party's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Sunday, speaking for the first time in Bihar since the Janata Dal (United) walked out of the NDA, said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has not betrayed the saffron outfit, but the people of his own state.

"JD(U) has not betrayed BJP, but has betrayed you-the people of Bihar," Modi said at Gandhi Maidan.

Furthering his labeling of the Bihar Chief Minister as a 'betrayer', Modi accused Nitish Kumar of stabbing his mentor Ram Manohar Lohia in the back, and said that he had been led astray by claims of his 'chela' that the Congress would prop him up as their Prime Ministerial candidate in 2014.

"Chelas have told Nitish Kumar to go with the Congress as there was an opportunity for him to become Prime Minister there," Modi said.

"People ask me why my friend (Nitish Kumar) left the BJP. I tell them that why would a party who left JP, stay with the BJP?... He (Nitish Kumar), who learnt under the leadership of Ram Manohar Lohia, stabbed his teacher in the back. He is playing hide and seek with the Congress. The spirits of Lohia and Jayaprakash will never forgive Nitish Kumar," he added.

Modi continued on the bitter JD(U) walkout, and alleged that till the party worked with the BJP, it was only the saffron outfit's ministers who contributed good work.

Urging voters to side with the BJP in the upcoming elections, Narendra Modi said his party would take Bihar forward by uniting the people across religious, caste and creed lines.

BJP President Rajnath Singh, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and party leaders Shahnawaz Hussain, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Shatrughan Sinha and Sushil Kumar Modi are also present at the rally in Gandhi Maidan.

Prior to Modi's arrival at the venue, at least six low intensity blasts were reported in and around Gandhi Maidan.