First, the leaders of JD-U have lambasted the BJP for projecting Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as their Prime Ministerial candidate for 2014 Lok Sabha polls whereas the Lok Sabha polls are too far besides no consultation was done with the leaders of allies that are partners in the NDA.

Commenting on the ‘Fast’ politics of Narendra Modi, the national president of Janta Dal United, Sharad Yadav, has said when the majority of the people in India were deprived of one square meal in a day and have been doing fast, and are on fast since times immemorial, there was no need for leaders like Modi to go and sit on a fast for gaining cheap publicity.

Sharad Yadav said it was total waste of government money rather public money by organising such events which carry no meaning. Such fasts cannot restore the lost pride of the state of Gujarat and cannot make the image of Modi clean from the black spots that have tarnished his name after the Godhra riots.

However, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar did not made any comment to the media even when he was asked to make a comment, he simply smiled and folded his hands and walked away from the media glare.

JDU national spokesperson Shivanand Tewari also said Modi failed to discharge his “raj dharma” i.e. to protect the lives and property of the people living in Gujarat. He said when he can’t do justice to five crore people in a state, how can he do justice to 125 crore people in the country? There was arrogance to see in the body language of Modi while he was delivering his speech from the stage on his fast for the ‘Sadbhavna’ (harmony).

“There is still a sense of fear and agony in the minds of minorities living in Gujarat. They will never forgive Modi for the riot that changed the lives of many forever,” said Shivanand Tewai. JD U state president of Uttar Pradesh, Suresh Niranjan ‘Bhaiyyaji’ has also criticized the projection of Modi as PM for 2014 Lok Sabha by the BJP. He said while the party was focusing on the state elections that are due in Uttar Pradesh, there was no need to get involved in such controversies which could divert the attention from real issues concerning the common man.

Suresh Niranjan said the Supreme Court has not given any clean chit to Narendra Modi, the apex court has simply referred back the case to the lower court in the state where the trial was still going on. He has also expressed his surprise over the announcement made by some BJP leaders that include senior stalwarts like L K Advani regarding the name of Narendra Modi for the post of PM in the next Lok Sabha elections.

“We are an ally to the BJP in Bihar and Jharkhand but not in Gujarat and the same have been said time and again by our senior party leaders including our national president Sharad Yadav. As a party the BJP is free to do whatever they like in other states but when it comes to the nation’s interest, they must consult their political allies before making such utterances as that would only make the political honeymoon bitter,” said Suresh Niranjan ‘Bhaiyyaji.’