Notwithstanding Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s antipathy towards Narendra Modi, the BJP today said the Gujarat Chief Minister was required by his party and ally JD (U) to improve prospects in the general elections in Bihar and elsewhere in the country.

“Modi is required by the JD (U) as much the BJP if the NDA seeks to improve prospects in the general elections,” BJP national General Secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters in reply to a question here.

Bihar campaign

Asked if Modi would be invited to campaign for NDA candidates in Bihar, Rudy replied, “Modi and any other NDA Chief Minister should campaign in any State if their services are required to tilt the scale in favour of the NDA candidates in the general elections.” About the outcome of Maharajganj Lok Sabha by-poll in which the massive defeat of the NDA came as a huge surprise to all, Rudy accepted that it was the defeat of the entire NDA and not that of the JD(U) alone.

Amid the blame game going on between the two allies over the Maharajganj Lok Sabha by-poll results, the senior BJP leader claimed that there were no cracks between the BJP and JD (U) as one defeat could not be cited as an indicator of rift between the two parties.

On the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, the senior BJP leader reiterated that the party’s parliamentary board would decide on the matter at an appropriate time.

He said BJP President Rajnath Singh would send a “clear-cut message” at its national executive meeting in Goa later this week about the party leadership under which it would contest the next general elections.

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