Sushil Modi Clears Air About Early Lok Sabha Polls, Says 'Rahul Actual INDIA PM Face, Kharge Scapegoat'

BJP MP Sushil Modi has dismissed the possibility of Lok Sabha elections being held early to deny the INDIA bloc time to set everything in order and canvas for votes.

Ahead of the united Opposition's meeting in Mumbai, BJP's Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar Sushil Modi on Wednesday said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be the Prime Ministerial face of the INDIA bloc. Referring to sources hinting that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is likely to be made the convener of the Opposition alliance, Sushil Modi said: "Kharge is being made a scapegoat. He cannot stand in front of PM Modi."

He also dismissed Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's claim that elections could be held early to deny the INDIA bloc time to set everything in order and canvas for votes. "The Lok Sabha election will be held on time and not earlier. The Ayodhya Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh will be inaugurated in January; then the government will present the interim budget. How will the elections be held early," he asked.

He also took a dig at Banerjee over her claim that the BJP had booked all helicopters ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to prevent the Opposition from using them.  "The BJP has booked all helicopters ahead of the parliament elections so that no other party can get any. This is their state. They think that money can buy anything," Mamata Banerjee was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Reacting to this, Sushil Modi said: "If Mamata Banerjee wants a helicopter, she should tell me. I shall book it."

Mamata Banerjee, chief of TMC, the second-largest party after the Congress in the INDIA bloc, will be part of the coordination committee slated to be announced on September 1 in Mumbai. The Opposition will also elect a convener to oversee the working of the alliance. There are a number of choices for the convener, including Banerjee, Kumar, Congress MP Sonia Gandhi, and Kharge. 

While political strategist Prashant Kishor on Tuesday, however,  dismissed the possibility of Nitish Kumar being elected the convener, INDIA sources hinted that Kharge could bag the post with Sonia Gandhi's approval. Nitish Kumar has, meanwhile, declined to wear the convener's hat and said that he only wants to keep the parties together.