Prime Minister Narendra Modi today made a blistering attack against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar saying out of "arrogance" he had returned Rs 5 crore Gujarat had donated for rehabilitation of Kosi flood victims and exhorted people to get rid of such an "arrogant politician".
"Drunk with arrogance and head in the seventh sky, he (Kumar) returned Rs 5 crore donated by people of Gujarat for families of Kosi victims.
"Due to arrogance he forgot the pain of Kosi flood victims and returned the money," Modi said referring to the incident in 2010 when Kumar had returned Rs 5 crore cheque of Gujarat for Kosi flood victims rehabilitation after newspaper advertisements figured his (Modi) photographs as chief minister of Gujarat at that time.
Addressing BJP "Parivartan rally" here at Saharsa, headquarter of Kosi division and about 250 km from Patna, Modi lambasted Kumar for joining hands with Congress, which he said was "responsible" for the death of 'Bihar Gaurav' Jayprakash Narayan.
"Isn't this betrayal with JP or not? Hasn't he(Kumar) given pain to JP's 'atma' (soul) or not?" he said.
In another dig at Kumar for joining hands with RJD of Lalu Prasad, Modi reeled out Bihar police crime figure to claim "Jungle raj has begun to knock Bihar."
PM's rally here was considered politically significant as Kosi region comprising of Saharsa, Madhepura and Supual districts comprise of 13 assembly constituencies.
In 2010, BJP had managed to win the lone Saharsa seat, while 10 were annexed by JD(U) and two by RJD.
Dominated by Yadav castemen, Saharsa also forms part of Madhepura Lok Sabha constituency from where JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav lost this time to Pappu Yadav.
BJP leaders along with prominent leaders of allied parties including union ministers Ramvilas Paswan, former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, union minister and RLSP leader Upendra Kushwaha, senior party leaders Sushil Kumar Modi, Nand Kishore Yadav and state party chief Mangal Pandey were present at the dais.
