Narendra Modi dials Bihar BJP chief to invite them for polls

Putting a lid on controversy that Bihar BJP leaders were unwelcome in Gujarat, chief minister Narendra Modi today telephoned state president CP Thakur inviting him and other leaders to his state to campaign for the party.

Putting a lid on controversy that Bihar BJP leaders were unwelcome in Gujarat, chief minister Narendra Modi on Sunday telephoned state president CP Thakur inviting him and other leaders to his state to campaign for the party.

"Modiji telephoned me today to say that unnecessary confusion has been created that Bihar BJP leaders are barred from elections in the state ... all BJP leaders and workers are welcome in Gujarat for the elections," Thakur told PTI.

BJP MP and spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain said, "There is nothing like Bihar versus Gujarat in the BJP. We all work together to ensure victory of the party in elections anywhere in the country."

Hussain, a Lok Sabha member from Bhagalpur, said as per need, Bihar BJP leaders and workers would go to Gujarat to defeat the Congress and re-elect a party government there.

Bihar minister and senior BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav echoed similar views.

"Jhoot ka issue ban diya gaya tha (an issue was created falsely)," he said.

Modi's call came a day after the BJP said its prominent leaders from Bihar would campaign in poll-bound Gujarat, rejecting reports that he had asked them to stay away from electioneering there.

Media reports suggested that Bihar BJP leaders were not welcome in Gujarat for being too close to JD(U) leader and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Kumar has in the past expressed strongly against his Gujarat counterpart over 2002 riots.

Modi was kept away from the assembly elections in Bihar in 2010 as well in 2005 in view of Kumar's protest.