Sushil Kumar Modi downplays leadership issue in Bihar BJP

PATNA: BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi today described the debate over the leadership issue within the party as "unncessary" and said its parliamentary board will take a call on the matter at an appropriate time.

"The raging debate within the party over the leadership issue for next year's assembly polls is akin to unseasonal rains," he told reporters in reply to a question on the sidelines of a 'Janata Durbar' at his official residence.

"It's not right to discuss the leadership issue at this stage when the assembly polls are far away," Modi said, and urged the party colleagues to refrain from discussing the issue in public.

There was no need for the BJP to name its chief ministerial candidate at this stage, the former deputy chief minister said adding that even the ruling JD(U) has not decided its candidate for the same for the assembly polls next year.

Urging one and all within the BJP to leave the leadership issue for the central leaders to decide, Modi said that the party's parliamentary board will decide on its chief ministerial aspirant or candidate for states at an appropriate time.

Asked whether he felt uncomfortable over controversy surrounding his chief ministerial candidature, the senior BJP leader said that it was not a question of being comfortable or uncomfortable, but such issues "must not be discussed at all without any rhyme or reason".

It may be mentioned that Modi was recently caught in a cross-fire with some leaders, including the Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh favouring his anointment as the BJP's chief ministerial choice, even as some other senior leaders like C P Thakur and Prem Kumar questioned his stature as a mass leader who could lead the party to success in the assembly polls.

As the leadership issue continued to rage much to embarrassment to the party, the state unit BJP chief Mangal Pandey ticked off senior leaders for debating the issue in public.