LJP slams Nitish, Modi coming together
Press Trust of India
Sunday, May 10, 2009, (New Delhi)
Lok Janashakti Party has slammed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for "sharing dais with Narenda Modi" at an election rally in Ludhiana despite the JD(U) chief earlier ruling out the possibility of a joint rally with the Gujarat chief minister.
"After elections came to an end in Bihar, Nitish Kumar has exposed his real face by sharing the dais with Modi," LJP Secretary General Abdul Khaliq said.
In an apparent reference to AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, who had earlier praised Kumar, the LJP leader said, "Those who were declaring Nitish Kumar secular and want to form government with him should now take a lesson."
Khaliq's remark comes hours after Kumar attended the NDA rally, in which chief ministers of all NDA-ruled states, including Gujarat CM and BJP's Hindutava mascot Narendra Modi participated.
"Kumar, who used to say Modi will not come to Bihar for election campaign today virtually embraced him," Khaliq alleged.
"Secular people of the country will not forget this and will teach him a lesson at an appropriate time," he said.
Amid overtures from Congress, Nitish Kumar had earlier said that the "Gujarat blot" of 2002 riots "can never be erased" while disapproving Modi as a future prime minister.
"What happened in Gujarat should never have happened. However, much we criticise, it will never be enough. The Gujarat blot can never be erased," Kumar had said.