BJP, JD(U) cross swords over SuMo

Patna: The denial of Rajya Sabha nomination to BJP's former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi (SuMo) from Bihar appears to have created more heat than the selection of party's former state chief Gopal Narayan Singh, although the later explained his seniority as the basis of selection.
The heat was created after JD(U) spokesman Sanjay Singh remarked that in selecting Gopal Narayan Singh as the party's candidate for the seat, the BJP's central leadership has given a clear signal that SuMo has no say left in the party's central circles, and that the party has kept him confined to Patna, even though the JD(U) felt that it would have been better if he had been shifted to Delhi.
In response, the state BJP on Monday maintained that SuMo had never expressed his intention to go to Delhi, even though the JD(U) has always wanted to see Modi shifted is Delhi, so that the 'Mahagathbandhan' government in the state has an unencumbered tenure.
In this regard, state BJP spokesman Sanjay Singh Tiger said SuMo has continued to consistently expose the aberrations in functioning of the state government and matters related to corruption. "It is this aspect of Modi that has kept the ruling JD(U) worried," Tiger added.
He also said there is no leader of the stature of SuMo in the JD(U), as it was his performance as the state's finance and commercial taxes minister that helped in giving lustre to the seven-and-half-year tenure of CM Nitish Kumar, when he headed the JD(U)-BJP government and became popularly known as "sushashan babu."
Incidentally, Nitish had dismantled the NDA government in June 2013, and also severed the 17-year-old JD(U)-BJP alliance.
After the 2015 assembly election, that had given stunning victory to the three-party 'mahagathbandhan' comprising the RJD, JD(U) and Congress, Modi has relentlessly attacked Nitish on one count or the other on a daily basis. It resulted in the dismissive remark of the CM that "some leaders" of the BJP are "in the habit of issuing statements," criticizing the government.
Tiger said Sanjay Singh was no match to SuMo, who has long political and administrative experience. He has no knowledge to counter (Sumo's) well-articulated presentation of the state's situations, which rattle the Nitish government, Tiger added.