Sushil Modi seconds Uma Bharti's assertions on Nitish, Mamata

Patna: Senior Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Tuesday seconded Union Minister Uma Bharti's assertions that regional satraps like Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar emerged on the political firmament with BJP and RSS support.

"Nitish Kumar was made a minister and chief minister of Bihar by BJP," Sushil Modi, who was formerly deputy to chief minister Kumar, told reporters after his 'Janata Darbar' programme here.

"JD(U) and Nitish Kumar were with the BJP in NDA for 17 years and emerged on the national politics with the support of BJP and RSS," he said, echoing the views expressed by Bharti. Bharti had on Monday said, "Has Mamata Banerjee become what she is just like that? She emerged due to hard work of Sangh workers. Nitish Kumar did not emerge on his own. Nitish, Lalu got strength from us."

Sushil Modi said the same is true with West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee. "Mamata Banerjee was made a minister in the NDA government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which helped her gain national identity," he said, recalling, “As party in-charge of West Bengal, I had a dozen meetings with Mamata Banerjee during that time."

Sushil Modi was the deputy chief minister in Nitish Kumar's government for seven-and-a-half years when BJP and JD(U) together ruled in Bihar from November 2005 to June 2013. The alliance had ended on June 16, 2013, over Narendra Modi's elevation as BJP's prime ministerial candidate.