As Nitish gets ready for Varanasi rally, BJP calls him ‘fused bulb’; JD(U) says BJP is ‘jittery’

Nitish Kumar's proposed public meeting in Varanasi stirs war of words between BJP and JD(U). BJP's Sushil Modi challenges Kumar to contest against PM Modi from Varanasi. JD(U) leader Jama Khan says BJP jittery over Kumar's visit.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s proposed public meeting in Varanasi – Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency – on December 24 stirred a war of words between the BJP and the JD(U) leaders on Wednesday. While senior State BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi called Mr. Kumar a “fused bulb”, JD(U) leader Jama Khan retorted saying the BJP has become “jittery” over Mr. Kumar’s visit.

Mr. Kumar is scheduled to address a public meeting in the Rohaniya Assembly segment of Varanasi on December 24, in the run-up to the upcoming Lok Sabha election in 2024.

While challenging the JD(U) veteran to contest against PM Modi from Varanasi, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi said: “Nitish Kumar is a fused bulb that can only flicker now and cannot be brightly lit.”

“Nitish Kumar’s influence is limited only to the Bihar. If he has guts, he should fight the parliamentary election against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi next year. Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi Chief Minister) too had come to contest against him but had fled,” said Mr. Sushil Kumar Modi.

Countering him, ruling JD(U) leader and Mr. Kumar’s ministerial colleague Jama Khan said the BJP had become “jittery over Nitish Kumar’s public meeting in Varanasi in which lakhs and lakhs of people are going to participate”.

Speaking to mediapersons in Patna, Mr. Khan, who is the Minority Affairs Minister in Bihar, claimed: “There is a wave of change in the air. The change will happen in the country as the BJP has been telling only lies. The Modi-led government has only divided society and the working style of the BJP has been anti-people.”

Mr. Khan further said that the JD(U) has assigned leaders of the party from neighbouring districts of Varanasi in Bihar such as Buxar, Rohtas and Kaimur to ensure the “success of Mr. Kumar’s public meeting”. “We expect that four-five lakh people will turn up for the public meeting of our leader Nitish Kumar in Varanasi,” he said. “Varanasi is a place where both the temple bell rings and the sound of azan comes from the adjoining mosque. The city of Varanasi is also known for its Ganga-Jamunitehjeeb (religious harmony),” he said.