Amid signs of growing closeness between the JD(U) and the Congress, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Monday ruled out any rift within ruling alliance in the State. He said that the relationship between the BJP and the JD(U) is as strong as before and both parties are running the State Government without any hiccup.
The BJP leader also contended that it would be incorrect to say that the relationship between the Congress and the JD(U) has undergone any change despite all these public posturing from both parties during the recent past.
However, Modi told The Pioneer, “What appears on the ground, it can be said that both parties are expressing their willingness to reach out to each other but it is difficult to say which party is taking the first step in this regard.”
“I do not find that the JD(U) and the Congress have come close in any manner at this moment. I am also unsure whether the Congress was trying to come close to the JD(U) or the situation is vice versa,” he added.
On the ruling alliance in the State, Modi said, “Whenever any problems crop up during the process of government’s functioning, we sort out them without any difficulty. There is not a single stance of any major hiccup emerging during over seven years of rule in the State,” he added.
Modi, who had described the Congress as a sinking ship during the concluding day meeting of the state BJP executive on Sunday, said that the Congress-led UPA Government could not be relied at any stage as it has conveniently forgotten to implement even the Rajiv Gandhi Special Package.
Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had announced a special package for Bihar of over Rs5,000 crore for various projects way back in 1989.
Deputy Chief Minister said that the State was granted special package by the NDA Government when the State was divided in 2000.
He said that the UPA Government is still not conceding the State Government’s demand to enhance the amount of special package from Rs1,000 crore to Rs4,000 crore per year despite several attempts being made in this regard.
Modi’s remarks had come at a time when Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia in New Delhi to convince them on the need of special status to Bihar.
A senior BJP leader and a vocal supporter of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Giriraj Singh said that the JD (U)’s Adhikar Rally was a political agenda and no more meaning should be attached to it. He said that only the NDA Government will grant special status to Bihar once it comes to power.
A top BJP leader on the condition of anonymity said that the role of BJP Ministers in the Development of the State could not be undermined as they have contributed significantly while holding important portfolios of major departments like Health and Road Construction.
He said that it is also incomprehensible how Sushil Kumar Modi who is holding the portfolio of Finance Department could be left out while the issue of special status is being raised by the JD(U).
Meanwhile, State Congress legislative Party leader Sadanand Singh avoided a direct reply whether Nitish Kumar is coming close to his party but stated that the Chief Minister can think of deserting the NDA in the event of projection of Narendra Modi as Prime Ministerial candidate for the next general election as he will try to protect his secular votes in such a situation.
He also castigated Sushil Modi for calling the Congress as a sinking ship, stating that it is the language of an arrogant. He said that Modi should understand that the Congress has a very long history and has only recently romped to victory in Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The Congress leader said that Nitish Kumar has confined the issue of special status to himself and his party only, not appreciating the fact that not only his party but all other parties also want the development of the State.
He said that the UPA Government has adopted a positive attitude on the issue of special status to Bihar but the matter is not as simple as it appears, particularly when one considers that the subject is attached to several other backward States too