Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi spoke exclusively to The Daily Guardian post the mandate that has brought back the NDA to power in the state. The leader cleared the air on many issues, including the CM candidate.
Q: Would you agree this was a tough fight?
A: It didn’t seem so to me, but on the other hand there isn’t a single election which can be categorised as ‘easy’. In 2010 when we won by 3/4th majority, people were still calling it a tough fight. Every election is difficult, and never a cakewalk. There’s a lot of work and struggle every single time. We were very sure though that NDA will form the government and Nitish Kumar will be the Chief Minister. We were clear that we’d get the majority and have a clear mandate.
Q: BJP is the NDA’s biggest party, will Nitish Kumar be the Chief Minister?
A: Let there be no doubts that Nitish Kumar will be the Chief Minister. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have said it hundreds of times that Nitish Kumar will be the CM then why is there any doubt? The media can have uncertainties, but we have always been extremely clear about it.
Q: What do you have to say about Lok Janshakti Party’s role?
A: I don’t want to comment on them at all. They are no more part of the Bihar NDA. There are only four parties in NDA, what others do we don’t care.
Q: What was that one issue which you think swung the election in your favour?
A: Development was the biggest issue. We asked for votes based on development, and in the last 15 years, people have seen change and development. Thus, the people of Bihar voted for continuity so that the rate of development keeps up.
Q: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is alleging that in many places the NDA used the local administration to swing the election in your favour. What do you have to say about this?
A: What can the local administration do? The voting is done by EVM, and the election commission counts it. They never trusted the process. Even before the elections, Rahul Gandhi called it a Modi Voting Machine. They knew they were going to lose, and this is just a ploy to save face. The votes and seats they’ve gotten, has it come from MVM or EVM? After losing, they’re just trying to blame the machine and the administration.
Q: When is the oath-taking ceremony scheduled? When will the NDA have its meeting?
A: BJP’s national president J.P. Nadda can comment on this, he’ll announce it in a day or two.