Patna,(BiharTimes): Some BJP leaders in Bihar think that their prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is in possession of such a magic wand that he would ensure victory in all the 40 Lok Sabha seats even if they by their utterances and actions cause damage to the party’s prospect and image.
Political analysts are surprised over the nature of statements given by some saffron party leaders in Bihar in recent days. Their remarks have not only given opportunity to their political rivals to criticize but even landed the supporters of the party in a tight position.
For example, Giriraj Singh on Saturday (Feb 8) came out with a statement demanding investigation into the visit of Bihar chief minister NItish Kumar to Pakistan in November 2012. He was reacting to the SSB’s letter hinting about a possible link of two alleged Indian Mujahideen operatives with minority welfare minister, Shahid Ali Khan.
Giriraj asked as to who invited Nitish to Pakistan? What is strange is that why is this question being raised after 15 long months? What was he and his colleagues doing all these months? Till June 16 he, and 10 of his BJP leaders, were ministers in the same NItish cabinet. They remained glued to the post even though Nitish continued to abuse and humilitate them for months. None of them ever dared to say anything against him––not to speak of questioning the visit to Pakistan.
“Why was the issue of Pakistan visit not raised then. Where these BJP leaders not bothered about country’s security when they were in power with the same chief minister. Even after being virtually kicked out from the cabinet they said no such thing. Suddenly Giriraj has been reminded about Nitish’s Pakistan connection,” asks an analyst.
“Giriraj Singh has every right to hold his opinion. But may one ask as to who invited Lal Krishna Advani to Pakistan even when he was not the minister in India. Is not it the fact that Advaniji ended up showering praise on Jinnah in Karachi while Nitish did not say any such thing,” a reputed English language teacher of Patna told BiharTimes on condition of anonymity.
On the same day equally thoughtless statement came from the former health minister of Bihar, Ashwani Kumar Choubey. This big-mouthed leader once landed into controversy when as the health minister in the Nitish cabinet he called for chopping off the hands of doctors.
Anyway what he said on Saturday had raised several questions. While speaking at a function before leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley, he came out with a startling revelation. He said that eight years back he had warned his party leadership not to support Nitish Kumar’s candidature for the post of chief minster as he possesses poisonous teeth.
In 17 long years of relationship between the two parties no BJP leader had said such thing publicly. Even Choubey’s past record suggests something else.
“Who is not aware of the fact that soon after becoming the urban development minister for the first time in 2005 newspaper carried big photographs of Choubey driving a bulldozer and stating that within months Patna would become Paris. Why he joined the ministry and talked about changing the face of Patna. He should have worked for the party’s organization instead,” said a commentator.
True in later years he became critical of Nitish and skipped many cabinet meetings and Janata Darbars. In the cabinet he even opposed the allotment of land in Kishanganj to the Aligarh Muslim University. Yet he continued to enjoy the ministerial berth.
He along with his family where caught in the flash flood of Uttarakhand on June 16. He had a regret that as a minister in the state cabinet Nitish Kumar did nothing for him even when he lost some of his relatives. Incidentally, it was on June 16 that Nitish snapped ties with BJP and sacked all the 11 ministers, including Choubey.
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