Patna: As the BJP national executive kicks off in Patna on Saturday, the man who's dominating the print and the outdoor advertising space is Narendra Modi, who's visiting the state for the first time after Nitish Kumar became chief minister.
In a publicity blitzkrieg Modi is being projected as a secular leader, and the man who was saviour to the victims of Kosi floods.
This ad campaign borrows statistics from the Sachar Committee report to show Muslims are progressing in Gujarat.
"As far as the ad is concerned, it is only to dispel some myths. He has only sought to state facts, and this is not any kind of appeasement," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
During the last Lok Sabha elections, in an interview to NDTV, Nitish had hinted that Modi was not needed in Bihar and that he would not share a stage with him.
"We have Sushil Modi. He is capable. There are many popular leaders here. This is upto the BJP to decide. They are contesting 15 seats here. For these, it is upto them as to which of their party leaders they call. It is not about my objection. I think there are enough BJP people here. Advani ji is coming on a tour of Bihar. Maybe their president Rajnath Singh is also coming," Nitish had said.
Just days later, Nitish shared stage with Modi at an NDA rally in Ludhiana.
In Patna, Modi and Nitish will come face to face at a dinner hosted by Nitish at the chief minister's residence, fueling speculation that Nitish does not want to be seen with Modi on a public or political platform.
"He is the Chief Minister of Gujarat, and is coming for the national executive meet. Now, there is no need to link Nitish Kumar with him and make a non-issue, an issue. (woh gujarat ke mukhyamantri hain, national executive meet main aa rahe hain, ab isme mukhyamantri jee (Nitish Kumar) ko jod kar non issue ko issue kyon banaya jaa raha hai)," JD(U) state president Vijay Chaudhury said.
Election in Bihar is just months away and just in case the BJP uses Modi for campaigning, it may not go down well with its ally the JD(U) that's trying to consolidate the 15 percent Muslim vote in its favour.