Modi's Sudden Departure to Delhi Prompts Speculation
Patna: April 18, 2008
With cracks within the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) growing by the day in the aftermath of recent reshuffle of the NDA government in Bihar, party leader and state Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi left for New Delhi on Friday to face quizzing by senior leaders who seem to be divided over the removal of certain leaders from the state ministry.
Modi, who is under tremendous pressure following demands for his removal by the party dissidents, left for New Delhi to find ways to diffuse the situation even as the supporters of former Sports Minister Janardan Singh Sigriwal, former Health Minister Chandra Mohan Rai, and former Building Construction Minister Monazir Hasan issued an ultimatum giving the party high command till April 25 to sack Modi or face revolt in the state.
Baleshwar Singh Bharti, BJP legislator, while talking to reporters, said if the party was thinking about winning the Lok Sabha elections with leaders like Modi and party state president Radha Mohan Singh, it can forget about any success.
"These two leaders have demoralized the party's grassroots workers and supporters and its effect would be felt in the next Lok Sabha elections," Bharti said.
Modi's sudden departure for Delhi has left many BJP leaders wondering about the fate of the Nitish government in Bihar.
Other leaders, however, downplayed the Deputy Chief Minister's unplanned visit to Delhi. "He is there to receive treatment for his back injuries received during the accident at Delhi Airport last December and should not be construed as anything political," said some party leaders.
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