But this has not gone well with the Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi. With uncertainty looming large about his projection as the chief ministerial candidate for the assembly election, the senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi preferred to speak out against the political stand of the Central leadership of the party. Though in a guarded manner within an hour of the assertion of the union minister for chemicals and fertilizer Ananth Kumar that the BJP would not announce its chief ministerial candidate and instead the Bihar assembly election would witness a direct fight between Nitish Kumar and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the other Modi retorted back asserting; “as in other states the prime minister will campaign in Bihar also. This does not mean he will be the BJP face in the election. We will name out chief ministerial candidate at the right time”.

Little doubt a defiant Sushil Modi has put the BJP central leadership in an embarrassing situation. Sushil Modi has been the prime clamant for the top job but his assertion undermined the party line of fighting the elections in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as announced by Ananth Kumar. He had explicitly said: 'Narendra Modi is the BJP face; our party will contest the assembly polls under his leadership'. Just a day ahead of this incident the BJP president Amit Shah has appointed him as the In-Charge for Bihar. Obviously it candidly implied that Ananth Kumar was speaking the mind of the central leadership. Ananth Kumar had also underlined that the party had, in the last one year, contested assembly elections in different states in the name of Modi.

Dissension against the projected leader is a reason for holding back the name. But more than that it is threat perception of party getting vertically split on caste line –backward castes vs upper castes—that made the leadership to refrain. With the Delhi experience of projecting Kiran Bedi as chief ministerial candidate, the BJP has opted for the formula of collective leadership in Bihar. The BJP is also sure of the fact that its no state leader can claim to match the popularity and political stature of Nitish Kumar. With Lalu Yadav supporting him, no single BJP leader can even vouch to give him a fight for the money.

In fact this issue had come for discussion before the just-concluded Pratinidhi Sabha of the state RSS. It was of the opinion that the BJP should go to the polls under a “collective leadership”. The RSS and the Central leadership nurse the view that going by the nature of the complex alliance of the Dalits, OBCs and upper caste, projection of any one candidate as CM would destabilise the social equation and work against the interest of the party. Apprehensions are also being expressed that the projection of a candidate before the polls may trigger massive division in the party. In fact this threat perception has forced the RSS to summon Amit Shah and also to deliberate the election issue.

There are at least six claimants for the top job, most from the BJP itself. What was intriguing while these leaders present the façade of unity before the people and media, there is acute lack of trust amongst them. It is interesting to watch that the BJP leaders are opposed to endorsement of Sushil Kumar Modi as the chief ministerial face for the assembly polls. This was one of the main reasons for the central leadership refusing to project any leader as the probable chief ministerial candidate. According to the state unit, the issue would be discussed by the parliamentary board. Undeniably the leaders do not want the Delhi mistakes to be repeated in Bihar. Leader of the opposition Nand Kishore Yadav said; “Shah would be meeting to discuss the matter with the parliamentary board and if they decide to project anyone, he will announce it publicly”. Meanwhile Rashtriya Lok Samta Party ally of BJP has come out with the suggestion that its party chief and union minister Upendra Kushwaha be declared the opposition alliance's chief ministerial candidate.

Yet another factor that has prompted a major section of the state leaders to echo the views of the central leaders of not to project any single leader is they have nothing substantive to offer to the people on their own except to talk about the good governance of Narendra Modi. Besides there is a general feeling in the rank and file and also amongst a section of the state leaders that Bihar BJP has miserably failed in highlighting the achievements of the Modi government.

Insiders however maintain that Sushil Modi does not enjoy the confidence of the powerful upper caste lobby led by the Bhumihars. Ever since the issue of election featured in the public domain, these leaders incidentally have been opposing his candidature. Sushil Modi might appear to be senior amongst the equals, regularly holds Janta Durbar like Nitish Kumar, interacts with the people, but the fact remains that he is not treated as the leader acceptable to all factions inside the party. His closeness to Nitish during the eight year rule of the NDA government however is being used against him.

While the BJP depends on the upper castes support, Sushil Modi belongs to the backward caste Bania community. The BJP leadership is apprehensive of the fact that upper castes may lose enthusiasm for the party if an OBC leader is declared the chief ministerial candidate.

Apparently the situation appears to be against Sushil Modi. But it may prove to be a boon in disguise for Sushil. The non-projection of a leader against Nitish can eventually favour Sushil. There is no doubt he is the public face of the party and by virtue of his sustained efforts, he has succeeded in making an independent space for him. He is the only BJP leader who has habit of criticising and questioning Nitish every day even on frivolous issue. It is worth mentioning that BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha has come out with the suggestion; 'Going under a captain who has good image, mass leader and vote catching ability in the elections, is definitely advantageous”.,

One of the primary reasons for not projecting a leader is the party does not intend to encourage caste politics. With Lalu sharing dais with Nitish, the BJP would be left with little space on the caste line to maneouvre the things. The party intends to bank on the slogan of good governance. Raising of caste issue would simply help Nitish. Realising the problem, Modi and Shah are ensuring that none of these leaders is allowed space and opportunity to dictate and dominate the public debate till the elections. (IPA Service)