File photo of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched a vitriolic attack on his bete noir Narendra Modi today, saying he had hijacked his "old companion", the BJP. Mr Kumar alleged that to accommodate Mr Modi, BJP president Rajnath Singh even changed his party slogan in just half an hour.
"Just see how the president of that party has to change the slogan in just half an hour to eulogise him," Mr Kumar told reporters at Patna Airport.
He was referring to Mr Singh's changing party slogan on the party's website in favour of Mr Modi to drive home his point.
A tweet by Mr Singh yesterday with the slogan "Time for change, time for BJP" raised a storm as it was a departure from the ubiquitous party posters that show prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi with the message 'Ab ki bar Modi sarkar (Time now for Modi government)'.
Empathising with senior BJP leaders who, he said, were "insulted" within the party, Mr Kumar yesterday said that LK Advani had been "imprisoned" in Gandhinagar.
He had also expressed sympathy for old guard Jaswant Singh, Murli Manohar Joshi and Lal Muni Choubey, to focus on the dictatorial attitude of the BJP key leader.
He brushed aside poll surveys and said he could not see any wave in favour of BJP.