New Delhi: A day after Union Minister Ramdas Athawale claimed that Bihar CM-JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar can return to NDA anytime, BJP MP Sushil Modi on Sunday said that even if the Bihar CM wants to join BJP, the party is not ready for it. "Even if he wants to come, BJP is not ready for it," he said.
Speaking to ANI, Modi said, "Ramdas Athawale is neither a BJP spokesperson nor an NDA spokespeson. He is the leader of a party and a Union Minister so this must be his personal opinion. But BJP has shut all its doors...He has become a burden, I doubt if RJD will be able to bear it for long. His capability to transfer votes has ended."
"In the last Vidhan Sabha election it was seen that had Narendra Modi not come, he (Nitish Kumar) would not have won 44 seats. In politics, you are important if you have the power of votes. Otherwise, you hold no importance," he added.
On Saturday, Athawale lamented the exit of Bihar's chief minister from the NDA despite his “good relations” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The RPI leader also expressed the view that the JD(U) leader, who has since been at the forefront of forging opposition unity, should skip the next meeting of non-BJP bloc INDIA at Mumbai scheduled next month.
“Koi faayda nahin hai (it will be of no use)”, said Athawale, asserting that it was his “advice” to Kumar to refrain from attending the meet.
“He seems to be not happy in that camp. He was unhappy with the acronym INDIA but Rahul Gandhi prevailed”, said Athawale, referring to speculations in a section of the media that emerged after the new name was announced at the meeting in Bengaluru earlier this month.