Bihar polls: 'Preoccupied' Modi to keep away from campaign

Gujarat Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party's star campaigner Narendra Modi will not campaign for ally Janata Dal-United in the Bihar elections that begin on October 21, as he is "preoccupied with engagements" in his state, party vice-president Kalraj Mishra confirmed in Patna on Wednesday.

"Modi is preoccupied with his engagements in Gujarat, particularly because of elections to urban bodies in his state," Mishra told mediapersons.

In June, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had cancelled a dinner for the BJP top brass to convey his disapproval over an advertisement that featured him with Modi on the aid provided by Gujarat over the devastating floods that had hit the Kosi region, two years ago.

Kumar had subsequently returned the Rs 5 crore lying unspent in the chief minister's relief account that was received from Gujarat for the floods. Because of the Bihar CM's reservations, Modi had stayed away from campaigning in Bihar in the run-up to last year's Lok Sabha polls.

In reply to another question, Mishra said the party will field its top leaders for the campaign. He claimed that there was a massive response to meetings addressed by National Democratic Alliance leaders, which reflected that people will give another chance to the NDA.