Despite being in the same party, they had never been on the same page. But it is for the first time that BJP’s two stalwarts former Union Minister and Patna Sahib MP Shatrughan Sinha and former Bihar Deputy CM and MlC Sushil Kumar Modi have clashed publicly on Twitter, that too in the most acidic language.
“The clash of two leaders is unlikely to impress the leadership or make any improvement in their standing,” he added.
It is also believed that both are trying hard to gain their lost status. Sinha has other options too for his future course of action. A five term MP, including two Rajya Sabha terms, has more than cordial relations with the top leaders of different parties and there are speculations that he might be a candidate of JD(U) or RJD or a consensus candidate of the two allies in 2019.
Known for keeping a distance from the politics of Bihar and party affairs in the State, the former cine actor spent a good time in the BJP on his own terms for his closeness to top leadership, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee and lK Advani. Modi on the other hand had been an undisputed leader of Bihar BJP with nothing moving in the party without his consent for almost a quarter century.
The situation for both of them has changed and for the last three years, since the rise of Narendra Modi on the national horizon. Despite enjoying a good reputation, both have lost their status. Sinha was not inducted in the Modi Cabinet inspite of great speculations possibly because of his closeness to Advani.
Sushil Modi, who was Deputy Chief Minister in the Nitish Kumar led Government from 2005 till the mid of 2013 when Nitish broke alliance with the BJP, failed in his attempt to reach Rajya Sabha in bid to
join the Modi Government. The PM has maintained a
distance from his Patna MP
as he inducted two Patnaites Ravi Shankar Prasad and R
am Kripal Yadav in his Ministry.
Here in the political circles it is widely speculated that the two heavyweight leaders have lost their political weight. “It is a forgone conclusion that Sinha will be re-nominated from the lok Sabha seat he is holding in 2019 for the age factor as well as his suspected loyalty. Sushil has already been sidelined by the top leadership and he is no longer the last word in the Bihar BJP,” claimed a senior BJP leader.
Sushil Modi, who was ignored by Modi-Amit Shah team in the appointment of Bihar BJP president early this year and was not given any role in the Assembly elections in neighbouring UP, has opened a front to defame RJD chief lalu Prasad alleging money laundering and benami assets of his family, is attempting to break the maha gathbandhan of lalu and Nitish in order to weaken the anti-BJP alliance which had mauled the NDA in the November 2015 polls.
In the vitriolic spat between Sinha and Modi, the Patna Sahib MP got support from another sulking BJP leader Bhola Singh.
"Who is Sushil Modi to advise ouster of Sinha from the party. Is BJP his personal propertyIJ" said Singh.