BJP legislator suspended for remarks on Sushil Modi

 On a day when Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat was here to announce his vision of a strong India with Hindutava at its core, the BJP in the state developed its first crack since it parted ways with Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal-United (JD-U) last month.

The BJP suspended its legislator Amarnath Ghami for six years from the party for hobnobbing with the JD-U and taking frequent potshots at former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

Ghami had been upset with Sushil Modi for quite some time and been in the news for his utterances against the senior BJP leader. “Modi is actually a block-level leader who is working at the state-level. But he lacks the charisma and leadership qualities,” Ghami said.

“We have taken disciplinary action against Ghami and suspended him for six years. This is a message for others as the BJP will never tolerate indiscipline and revolt,” said Vinod Narayan Jha, party’s chief spokesperson, here.

The BJP also hit out at its erstwhile ally JD-U and asked it to desist from “poaching” as weaning away two-thirds of the 91 MLAs (BJP’s strength in the House) was an uphill task.

“We never indulge in poaching. But if someone feels suffocated and wants to join our party, he is welcome,” said JD-U Rajya Sabha member Shivanand Tiwary. He added that some leader (read: Sushil Modi) in the BJP was a “paper tiger” and was seen more in print and electronic media than with the people.

Sushil Modi on Sunday hit back at the JD-U and said if the party tried to create fissures in the saffron camp, “we will give a befitting reply.”

“Agar woh ek wicket girayenge, to hum do girayenge. (If they take one wicket, we will take two). Just wait and see,” said Modi, in his offensive against a party in whose alliance he ruled as Bihar’s deputy chief minister for more than seven years.