Modi fires tantrik salvo at Lalu, Nitish

Addressing four election rallies in Bihar, PM says the anti-BJP grand alliance has found a fourth partner — the tantrik. He also says reservation benefits will not be diluted

PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had opted for “tactical silence” as a weapon of choice in stark contrast to his “unmatched theatrics and rhetoric” over unsubstantiated facts.

In a series of tweets, Kumar said Modi never missed an opportunity to talk or tweet on anything, but “tactical silence” was his new weapon of choice.

“Modiji was always unmatched in theatrics, rhetoric and using unsubstantiated facts. For someone who does not miss an opportunity to talk or tweet by the minute on literally anything, it is baffling that Modiji doesn’t speak a word on issues that agitate the collective conscience of the country or bother the common masses,” Kumar tweeted.

Slamming the PM for “failing to deliver on promises”, the chief minister said Modi’s silence over black money, special status for Bihar and other issues was baffling.

“No words on gruesome killing of Dalit children in Haryana, mob lynching in Dadri or skyrocketing prices of dal… No word on promises he made and then conveniently forgot — black money, farmer MSP, youth employment and special status for Bihar — list goes on. The saga continues. So let us brace ourselves for a repeat performance in Bihar,” he said.

Kumar’s ally Lalu Prasad also challenged Modi with his own series of tweets to eschew rhetoric and speak of brass tacks if he had any content left.

“Come down from your airy pedestal and jumleybaazi and implement the poll promises made in 2014,” Prasad tweeted.

Talking of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s sentiments on re-examining reservations and VK Singh’s comment on Dalits, Prasad said, “You want to take away quotas and protect VK Singh who called Dalits dogs — that is the true sentiment of Manuvaadis and Bhajpais,” he said.

The JD(U) also hit out at the BJP for releasing a video in which Kumar is allegedly seen with a tantrik.

“The BJP has no issue or agenda left in Bihar. The Grand Alliance is ahead in the first two phases. The June 2014 video was released in order to confuse the voters. Lalu Prasad has himself rejected the video,” JD(U) spokesman KC Tyagi said.