Patna,(BiharTimes): Several senior state BJP leaders have strongly criticized Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh for backing the candidature of former deputy chief minister, Sushil Kumar Modi, for the post of chief minister.

Former Union minister Dr C P Thakur, former ministers in the Nitish Kumar cabinet Prem Kumar and Chandra Mohan Rai and Harendra Pratap, MLC, have opposed the name of Sushil Modi.

Dr Thakur, while talking to the media on Sunday, said that the BJP is a big party and all its major decisions are taken by its parliamentary board. All the senior leaders will sit and come to a final decision as individual opinions do not count much. There is no point projecting the name of any candidate for the post of CM now.

Gaya MLA Prem Kumar also questioned the need to name SuMo as the chief ministerial candidate stating that the party should collectively go for election. It is premature to float any name. 

Prem Kumar has, a few weeks back, himself expressed his willingness to be in the race for the post of CM. He comes from the extremely backward castes and has been representing Gaya Town Assembly constituency since 1990. 

Party leaders like Chandra Mohan Rai and Harendra Pratap spoke in the same vein.

Reports said that party MPs like Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Giriraj Singh too are among those opposing the name of Sushil Modi.

It needs to be recalled that all these leaders were extremely critical of the leader of opposition in the State Legislative Council over the distribution of tickets for Lok Sabha seats.