New Delhi:
Disapproving of the Janata Dal (United)'s indirect remarks against Narendra Modi, the BJP today said no "unfounded inferences" should be drawn against the Gujarat Chief Minister and asked its allies to focus on defeating the UPA.
"We reject all unfounded inferences against Narendra Modi," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitaraman said.
Without naming JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, she said the BJP expects allies to keep their focus on removing the "corrupt" UPA government which is taking the "country on a downslide in every field".
"But it is unfortunate if they (allies) concentrate their energies on our chief ministers and dilute the focus on removing the UPA. The BJP will continue its determined efforts in this direction," she said.
The BJP spokesperson's reaction came after Mr Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, took digs at Mr Modi, without naming him, at the JD(U)'s national executive meeting in Delhi.
The JD(U) gave the BJP time till December to declare its prime ministerial nominee for the general elections. Mr Kumar stressed the candidate should be a leader with "impeccable secular image" and referred to former prime minister and BJP veteran Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
"Only one who can carry with him all the diverse sections of people can become the leader of the nation. Atalji always used to say follow your Rajdharma. This was Atal Bihari Vajpayee's personality. Now, if there is an attempt to change the path, there is bound to be problems," he said.
Yesterday, the JD(U) had ticked off Mr Modi for the Gujarat riots of 2002. "He (Mr Modi) was unable to deal with the aftermath of the riots as he should have," party spokesperson KC Tyagi had said.