BJP today took potshots at RJD chief Lalu Prasad for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi "Kaliya Naag", a mythical serpent, and reminded him of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's 'snake-sandalwood' tweet.
"For last few days, the language of Laluji is like this. He is using words like 'zehar (poison)', 'saanp (snake)' and 'Kaliya Naag'. On the one hand is this poison and on the other hand is development. Poison cannot win against development," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, referring to his party's development agenda.
A day after Prime Minister Modi reached out to Bihar's Yadava voters introducing himself as a native of the land of Lord Krishna, Lalu hit out at him, calling him "Kaliya Naag", a mythical serpent the Hindu God had slain.
"Krishna had slain 'Kaliya Naag'. It has been reborn as Narendra Modi and is biting entire Bihar. We Yaduvanshis (people belonging to the Yadav clan) will crush him again and uproot his party from the state," Prasad told reporters in Patna as he began a day-long fast for the release of caste census figures, accusing the Centre of suppressing it.
Hitting back at Lalu, Patra referred to the tweet by Kumar, which had led to a political controversy.
A Twitter user had posed a question to Kumar on his programme "Ask Nitish" on Twitter on July 20 -- "#AskNitish if you win with Laluji and the numbers are significant, how you will be able to give good development ordinated government?"
In reply, Kumar had tweeted, "Bihar's development is my sole agenda. Jo Rahim uttam prakriti, ka kari sakat kusang. Chandan vish vyapat nahi, lipte rahat bhujang (Bad company doesn't affect a virtuous man, as the sandalwood tree does not become venomous despite snakes wrapping themselves around it)."
The tweet created a flutter in the poll-bound state as it was seen as directed against his ally RJD chief Lalu Prasad, prompting the Bihar Chief Minister to clarify that it was aimed at BJP.
Patra also referred to Prasad's remarks when Kumar was declared the chief ministerial candidate of the 'secular alliance' last month. Lalu had then said he was ready to drink "poison" to crush the "cobra" of communalism in Bihar, which was seen as reflecting his discomfort at the JD(U) leader helming the coalition.
