Thaindian News

Patna/New Delhi, May 6 (IANS) A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar warmly greeted his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi at a meeting in New Delhi, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Sunday attacked the former for “betraying his people”.

Prasad told reporters in Patna that protests by Nitish Kumar about the publication of his photograph with Modi during the 2010 BJP national executive were aimed at fooling the minorities, with an eye on their votes in the assembly polls.

“It is nothing but a political drama. Nitish Kumar is betraying people over his stand against Modi,” Prasad said.

Prasad said it was Nitish Kumar’s strategy to keep distance from Modi to maintain a secular image.

“But the fact is that he and Modi enjoy a good relationship as was evident when a smiling Nitish Kumar met Modi and shook his hand like an old friend (at a meeting of chief ministers) in Delhi.”

Nitish Kumar, however, hit back saying that Prasad would only criticise. “What else can he do,” Nitish Kumar said to questions about his criticism by Prasad.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) too slammed Prasad, saying that party leader Modi and Nitish Kumar did not do their politics after consulting the RJD leader.

BJP Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that neither Nitish Kumar nor Modi do their politics with Prasad’s consent.

“He should end his misconception. Both states (Gujarat and Bihar) are symbols of good governance,” Naqvi said.

Nitish Kumar had signalled his opposition to Modi coming to Bihar for campaigning in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls and the 2010 Bihar assembly polls.

He had even returned the flood relief fund Gujarat gave to Bihar in 2008.