War of words continues between alliance partners BJP and JD(U) in Bihar

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Patna, Jan 17 (IANS) There seems to be no end to the war words between leaders of the ruling alliance partners, JD(U) and BJP, in Bihar.

On Monday, BJP state unit chief Sanjay Jaiswal took to social media and asked JD(U) leaders to avoid posting on Twitter tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, else the 76 lakh BJP workers in the state are ready to give appropriate answers.

In reply, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, the national president of JD(U), challenged him to come to the Gandhi Maidan in Patna for a show of strength, without taking his name.

"It is the Centre's decision to form the NDA government in Bihar. Then why are alliance partners tagging me and the central leadership of BJP every time? We have to respect each other. The JD(U) leaders should avoid tagging PM Narendra Modi on every issue. He is the pride of every BJP follower. Don't play Twitter-Twitter with him, otherwise 76 lakh workers of the BJP are ready to give appropriate answers to you," Jaiswal said in his blog post.

"You people are big leaders and also served as ministers at the Centre. Still, you are asking the Prime Minister to withdraw an award which was given by the President of India. It is completely rubbish. I am opposing Daya Prakash Sinha 100 times more than you for his comparison of Samrat Ashoka with Aurangzeb. At the same time, I also want to point out that the Padma Shri award has not been withdrawn even once in the last 74 years. Wrestler Sushil Kumar has been convicted in a murder case, but his medals were not withdrawn by the President of India. There are no set parameters to withdraw Padma awards in the country," Jaiswal added.

Countering Jaiswal, JD(U) leader Lalan Singh said: "Prime Minister is the only person who is capable of withdrawing the award conferred on Daya Prakash Sinha. Every person has the constitutional right to put across his/her point before the Prime Minister. Why are they (BJP leaders) opposing it is not understandable."

Upendra Kushwaha, the president of JD(U)'s parliamentary board, said that questioning the Prime Minister will continue in future as well.

He also asked Jaiswal to clarify whether he is standing in the favour of award withdrawal.

"You gave the example of wrestler Sushil Kumar. Would we demand withdrawal of Padma award after the conviction of Daya Prakash Sinha? Is it your suggestion for us," Kushwaha asked.

Earlier in the day, taking a dig at the JD(U), the national general secretary of BJP's OBC wing, Nikhil Anand, tweeted: "The smaller groups cannot understand the working style of big parties. They are not clear about their own identity whether they belong to a small or a big group. The day doesn't seem far when they would have to search for a new place."

Anand's statement hinted at the fact that the BJP, which has 74 seats in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, allowed the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) to run the government in the state despite the latter having only 45 seats. However, he refrained from naming any leader in his tweet.

In a prompt retort, Abhishek Jha, the youngest spokesperson of JD(U), said: "@Nikhil Anand JI: People should give statements according to their stature. If you spit at the sky, it falls on you. Please clean it up. God may help you."

--IANS

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