Patna (Bihar): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has once again handed over the baton to senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, after a gap of more than one-and-a-half years to take on the challenges posed by the new Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) government formation in Bihar. Now, he has been placed in the Bihar BJP's driver's seat to lead from the front. Former deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Modi has once again pulled up his socks to take on JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar and RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Talking about the status of Sushil Kumar Modi and his group of people in Bihar BJP, Tanvir Hasan, deputy president of the RJD, said, "BJP has put Sushil Modi and team on the political edge. Now, he wants to revive his prospects in the party by making statements. Sushil Modi wants to remain relevant by attacking RJD. But, it would not be possible every time. Sushil Modi and his coterie want to rescue their sinking boats in Bihar politics."
The senior BJP leader once again wants to take the centre stage in Bihar politics to carry out his business of issuing statements. He thinks that it will help in securing promotion in BJP. But, it will prove a futile exercise, Hasan added. Responding to a query that BJP's Sushil Modi will once again prove a game-changer in Bihar politics, Hasan said, "It will not happen every time. If Sushil Modi is a charismatic leader in the BJP then why was he sent in a political exile by the central leadership of the saffron party."
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On the other hand sympathising with senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, JD(U)'s national president, Lalan Singh, said, "Sushil Modi always had a good relationship with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Hence, I didn't want to say anything about him. On the other hand, if he has been put forward by the BJP to make statements against the Grand Alliance government and somehow it helps his rehabilitation in the party (BJP) then we don't have any objection. But, what Sushil Modi spoke about CM Nitish Kumar that he was eyeing for Vice-President's post was false and a big lie."
Bihar BJP's spokesperson Prem Rajan Patel said Sushil Kumar Modi is a seasoned leader with several years of experience. Sushil Modi's stature cannot be compared with those helming the new Grand Alliance government in Bihar. Sushil Modi's expose on the multi-crore fodder scam put RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav behind bars.
Political analyst Dr Sanjay Kumar said, "Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi was sent to the Rajya Sabha by the party's central leadership to make him irrelevant in the Bihar politics. But, despite coming to Delhi, his area of focus was Bihar and the political situation prevailing there. He is the only leader in Bihar BJP, who has the courage to speak against JDU's Nitish Kumar and RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav. Now, he has been asked to do the batting in Bihar politics and lead from the front. The time will tell how he handles the situation in Bihar."
