BJP compares Modi with Mahatma

 The BJP on Sunday crossed all limits of sycophancy when it compared its mascot Narendra Modi with the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. 

“Gandhiji was also from Gujarat. But he started his agitation against British from Champaran in Bihar. Before coming to Bihar, Gandhiji was known as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. But after the Champaran satyagrah, also called the Indigo movement, he became widely popular as Mahatma Gandhi. In a similar way, after Narendra Modi visits Bihar, he will be known as Mahatma Narendra Modi,” said former Bihar BJP president Dr C P Thakur.

The BJP leader, who had earlier served as Union health minister in the Vajpayee government, has been more in news for his foot-in-the-mouth remarks. A political turncoat, who started his innings as a Congress MP from Patna in 1984, has, of late, turned into a hardcore Modi supporter and had berated Nitish Kumar for his antipathy towards his Gujarat counterpart.

The BJP meet, which was attended by party president Rajnath Singh, saw its national spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad question Nitish’s motives in breaking off the alliance. “Please tell me Nitishji, why do you have so much of hatred for Narendra Modi? If the latter becomes prime minister, despite your opposition, will you receive him or not if he comes to your State,” asked Prasad, amid loud cheers from the BJP cadres, who had gathered from all over the state to discuss poll strategies for the entire 40 Lok Sabha seats.

“We have asked our workers to man all the 56,000 booths in 40 Lok Sabha constituencies. By wresting all the seats, we will give a befitting reply to Nitish’s arrogance,” said Bihar BJP chief Mangal Pandey. Former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi too targeted Nitish and said ever since the 2010 Assembly results came out, Nitish was in dual mind to continue alliance with the BJP.

“Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had been dreaming for the country’s top executive post. Narendra Modi is just an excuse due to his ego problem…. The way Nitish recommended dismissal of the BJP ministers was the least we expected from someone who is today enjoying the fruits of power due to our struggle against Lalu’s jungle raj,” said Modi, who was a petitioner in fodder scam. 

Rajnath Singh, who had come to Bihar for the first time after the JD (U)-BJP alliance went kaput, was quite guarded in his criticism of Nitish. Instead, he chose to slam the UPA government, in the hope that good sense may prevail upon Nitish and he may eventually return to the NDA fold.