NCP leader Nagmani quits party, praises Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: Nagmani, a known-party hopper, today resigned from the NCP praising Narendra Modi, a first fall-out of Congress-RJD-NCP alliance in Bihar, where he could not be accommodated as a candidate for Lok Sabha polls.

Nagmani, who was heading the Bihar unit of NCP and was looking after Jharkhand affairs of the party as well, said he was in touch with the BJP for more than two-and-a-half months.

He told PTI that he had decided to work for Modi even when there was a talk that NCP could be given two seats under the "secular alliance" with Congress and RJD.

NCP wanted the second seat for Nagmani but it could get only one from where Union Minister Tarique Anwar will contest.

Nagmani, son of Jagdev Prasad, a legendary firebrand leader of backward castes in Bihar, had served in almost all parties including Congress, BJP, JD(U), RJD and LJP and is now all set to re-join the BJP.

"I have met all senior leaders of BJP except Narendra Modi. I have met BJP President Rajnath Singh, its former President Nitin Gadkari, organisational secretary Ramlal and senior BJP leaders from Bihar. I was never in favour of joining hands with Congress.

"Even when there was a talk that NCP will be given two seats, I had told BJP leaders that I wanted to contest from their party. Today it is the nation's dream to see some backward or Dalit leader as Prime Minister. Modi fulfils the criteria. I will leave no stone unturned to ensure that he becomes Prime Minister," Nagmani said.

NCP general secretary Tarique Anwar, said party chief Sharad Pawar has dissolved the Bihar unit and has asked national secretary Mohal Lal Agrawal to look after its affairs.