Nitish Kumar opposes Narendra Modi as NDA's prime ministerial candidate for 2014 polls

August 5, 2012

Nitish

New Delhi, August 5: BJP has assured BIhar CM Nitish Kumar that it would decide on its prime ministerial candidate in consultation with NDA allies.

Party chief Nitin Gadkari gave this assurance to Kumar when he recently sought a guarantee from the saffron partner that the BJP would not project Gujarat CM Narendra Modi in the 2014 parliamentary polls.

According to sources, Kumar sought the specific assurance from Gadkari at a quiet meeting they had here on July 25.

Kumar had earlier stressed — in an interview with the Economic Times and while addressing a convention of party workers — the need for the NDA to project a "secular" person as the PM. His conversation with Gadkari over dinner marked the first instance when the JD(U) leader spelt out his opposition to Modi, potentially complicating BJP's challenge of assuaging a crucial but restless ally without annoying the Gujarat strongman.

When contacted by TOI, Gadkari confirmed that the Bihar CM raised the leadership issue with him. "We had a good meeting in Delhi about a week ago. I told him that we have taken no decision yet on the leadership issue. it is too early for that. Whenever we take a decision, we will do so after consulting all the NDA partners," the BJP chief said.

The meeting had been sought by the BJP against the backdrop of Kumar's anxiety that the main Opposition may declare Modi to be its prime ministerial candidate. The Bihar CM plans to wean Muslims away from arch-rival Lalu Prasad, and has worked on the BJP to ensure that the Gujarat CM was not assigned campaign duty in any election in Bihar since 2005. However, with a section in the BJP keeping up a steady support for Modi as the PM candidate, the JD(U) leader worries that the momentum for the Gujarat CM may become irresistible if he scores his third straight win in Gujarat polls likely to be held in November.

Sources said that in the meeting, Kumar had insisted on an early decision on the leadership issue, and there are indications that he may press his demand again in view of the looming Gujarat polls as well as the projections that Modi is the odds on favourite this time as well.

Despite being a partner of the BJP since the 1996 Lok Sabha elections, Kumar prizes his "secular" credentials: something which in the last election hindered the effort of his rivals to get Muslims to vote against him. Estimates of the actual support that he got from the community diverge, but there is consensus that the BJP-JD(U) alliance does not evoke the same hostility that NDA would otherwise face.

The CM's worry is that the entry of Modi into the fray would not only frustrate his effort to build upon the goodwill he has among Muslims, but would trigger a sharp polarization against him, distracting the attention from his development agenda and handing an advantage to Prasad, Congress and Ram Vilas Paswan.


Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
February 14,2020

Feb 14: India will never forget the martyrdom of the security personnel killed in last year's Pulwama attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday.

He termed the slain security personnel were "exceptional individuals" who devoted their lives to serving and protecting the nation.

On February 14 last year, a convoy of vehicles carrying security personnel on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber at Lethpora in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in the attack.

"Tributes to the brave martyrs who lost their lives in the gruesome Pulwama Attack last year. They were exceptional individuals who devoted their lives to serving and protecting our nation. India will never forget their martyrdom," tweets PM Modi one year since the Pulwama attack.

"I pay homage to the martyrs of Pulwama Attack. India will forever be grateful of our bravehearts and their families who made supreme sacrifice for the sovereignty and integrity of our motherland," tweets Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
June 5,2020

Malappuram, Jun 5: A lawyer has filed a complaint with Superintendent of Police, Malappuram against BJP leader Maneka Gandhi and others for allegedly indulging in a hate campaign against Malappuram district and its residents.

Advocate Subhash Chandran, who hails from Malappuram, on Thursday filed a complaint seeking registration of FIR against former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi and others for allegedly indulging in a hate campaign against Malappuram and the residents of the district.

The complainant alleged that the campaign against the district was very derogatory and with a malafide intent.

The complaint stated that the unfortunate death of an elephant in Mannarkkad, Palakkad District dominated social media conversations in the last two days but a group of people deliberately added communal colour into it only to spread hatred against Malappuram, which is a Muslim majority district in Kerala.

It also stated that the elephant in question died on May 29, 2020, in Palakkad not in Malappuram as claimed by a section in social media users. Prominent news outlets operating from the South also reported that the elephant died after consuming explosive-laden pineapple in Palakkad.

The complaint also named political commentator, Tarek Fatah, for allegedly starting a hate campaign against the district and the minority community.

It alleged that Union Minister Maneka Gandhi made false and frivolous allegations against the district of Malappuram and its residents.

Chandran, through the complaint, prayed to the district police chief to register an FIR against Maneka Gandhi and others under Section 153A, 120B etc. of Indian Penal Code.

An elephant had died after she ate the pineapple stuffed with crackers and forest officials said that it died standing in river Velliyar after it suffered an injury in its lower jaw.

The elephant was seen standing in the river with her mouth and trunk in the water for some relief from the pain after the explosive-filled fruit exploded in her mouth.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
April 3,2020

New Delhi, Apr 3: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged people to gather together for a unique exercise on April 5 at 9 pm to show they were together in the fight against coronavirus.

"On this Sunday, April 5, we will challenge the darkness of coronavirus threat together. On April 5, at 9 pm, I need your 9 minutes. At 9 pm, turn off all the lights in your houses and light a Diya, candle, torch or flashlight for 9 minutes at your doors, or balcony," Modi said.

The Prime Minister further said that this will send out a message that nobody among the 130 crore Indians is alone in this fight against the deadly infection.

"I have one more prayer to all of you, nobody has to gather at any place during this event. Everyone will light a Diya only at their doors, windows or balconies. The Laxman Rekha of social distancing must be followed," Modi said.
Earlier, the Prime Minister had said that 130 crore Indians are together in this fight against coronavirus and praised the countrymen for following the lockdown.

"Today when crores of people are inside homes, then some of us may think how will they fight this battle against COVID-19 alone. Such questions might come up in your mind? But please remember, none of us is alone. The strength of 130 crores of Indians is with each one of us," he said.

He also expressed gratitude towards countrymen for participating in 'Janata curfew' on March 22 and said it has become "an example for all countries" today as they are following it.

In his address to the nation on March 24, the Prime Minister had announced a 21-day lockdown in the country to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, which has infected over 2,000 people in the country.

During the last "Mann Ki Baat" on COVID-19 related issue, the Prime Minister had apologised to the countrymen for taking the tough decision of enforcing complete lockdown in the nation. "My conscience says you will forgive me," he had said.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.