Shatrughan Sinha reiterates Nitish is PM material

"He (Shatrughan Sinha) may quit the BJP and Nitish may rehabilitate him in the Rajya Sabha," said a senior BJP leader who is also close to the CM.

PATNA: Cine actor and BJP MPShatrughanSinha's remarks that chief ministerNitish Kumar was PM material and that he was ready to build bridges between the BJP andNitish, as reported in TOI on July 30, have spawned speculations that the Patna Sahib MP, who was earlier a RajyaSabha member for two terms, could face disciplinary action.

Even though the BJP leaders in Delhi and Patna refused to comment on Sinha's praise for Nitish, there were reports that both the BJP as well as Shotgun had decided their course of action. "He may quit the BJP and Nitish may rehabilitate him in the Rajya Sabha," said a senior BJP leader who is also close to the CM.

In response to a query on Tuesday, Sinha reiterated, "Nitish Kumar is one of the best and most successful chief ministers in the country and, of course, he is a PM material." A known supporter of L K Advani, he also reiterated he wanted to build bridges between the BJP and Nitish.

In his reaction, Nitish said if Shatrughan said something good, why should others feel troubled. He also praised the MP and his political skill and abilities.

It may be recalled Shotgun called on Nitish on July 24 and the two were closeted for two hours. Sources said they did not discuss politics. Sinha, who had been hospitalized and bedridden for over a month due to medical problems, does not want to contest the Lok Sabha election anymore and would prefer to be accommodated in the Rajya Sabha, the sources said and added the CM is believed to have assured support to him.

On the other hand, state BJP's ousted spokesman Ram Kishore Singh continued his diatribe against BJP's poll campaign chief and Gujarat CM Narendra Modi. He heaped praise on Nitish and said at least three dozen BJP MLAs won only because of Nitish's efforts in the 2010 assembly election.

Maintaining that there was no question of seeking apology for his remarks, he said barring the Nano car project, for which the real should be given to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, the Modi government did nothing substantial. "Keshubhai Patel and other chief ministers carried out development works in Gujarat. Modi's so-called appeal will be exposed in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. It will not be possible for the BJP to reach the magic number of 273 with Shiv Sena and Akali Dal as allies. Only a miracle can make it possible," he said.

Referring to the remarks of Shatrughan and Ram Kishore, Congress said a large section of the BJP was not ready to accept Narendra Modi as leader. "Shatrughan and Singh's remarks have made it amply clear that a large section within the BJP does not accept Modi as leader," Bihar Congress's media in-charge Prem Chand Mishra said and asked when people within the BJP were not accepting Modi, how come the citizens of the country would accept him
.