Narendra Modi rakes up Patna blasts to attack Nitish Kumar

JAGDALPUR: Escalating his attack on Nitish Kumar, Narendra Modi today raked up the issue of Patna blasts to allege that the Bihar Chief Minister was insensitive and had "arrogantly" refused a proper probe into the attack which he claimed was aimed at him and other BJP leaders.

Modi said Kumar was enjoying a "mehfil" (party) when bombs were exploding at his election rally in Patna last week and drew a contrast with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, saying he had sensitively handled the situation after naxal attack on a Congress rally earlier this year.

"Such a big thing happened in Patna... He (Kumar) was in a mehfil (bash) in Rajgir and they -- JD(U) leaders -- were enjoying a sumptuous meal. When he was asked about any likely security lapse, he arrogantly dismissed it. There was no mention of any inquiry," the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate said at an election rally here.

"Terrorists carried out attack in Patna. One blast after another occurred. There was a conspiracy to blast our dais and to kill BJP leaders," he said.

Terming Kumar's attitude as "callous", Modi said there was "no trace" of pain on the Chief Minister's face in the wake of the explosions and that he behaved as if some pleasant thing had happened.

The Gujarat Chief Minister alleged that Kumar was doing politics all the time after "stabbing" BJP in the back.

Drawing a contrast with Raman Singh, Modi said the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister had felt the pain when a Congress rally was attacked and stopped his Vikas Yatra. Singh had also ordered a judicial probe and went to victims' families to offer his condolences.

"You see what the CM of Bihar did," the BJP leader said.