Thursday, 18 September 2014 10: 35 Patna. Attempts to create communal polarization on ‘Love Jihad’ after a setback in the by-elections of Uttar Pradesh 80799961090098079996109009 A different and softer tone has emerged in the BJP of neighboring Bihar. For the by-elections to the 11 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP had given the command of campaigning to the controversial Yogi Adityanath. But its advantage went to the SP instead of the BJP, which won eight seats. Reacting to the result, senior Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Wednesday said he does not agree with Yogi Adityanath-style provocative rhetoric. 80799961090098079996109009Conversation with The Indian Express Reiterating the party line on ‘Love Jeha 8079996109009’, Modi said that Bihar BJP should be kept out of Yogi Marka politics and said that in the assembly elections to be held next year. His party will give tickets to a good number of Muslim candidates. Modi said the BJP would oppose inter-religious marriages performed by forced conversions. Giving examples of Kerala, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, he said that this type of conspiracy is coming to the fore. This is being done in a planned manner.

I am not in favor of using words like ‘love jihad’ and Yogi Adityanath Not the face of BJP. He is one of the party’s forty star campaigners in the by-elections. Modi said that if Modi had made such rhetoric in Bihar like Uttar Pradesh, we would have denied it. There is no Adityanath in Bihar. Bihar BJP has not adopted Yogi Marka extremists. Remember, in the by-elections of Uttar Pradesh, the Election Commission had reprimanded and warned Yogi Adityanath for his provocative statements. BJP’s

stand in Bihar can be understood from Sushil Modi’s statement. Understanding the political reality of the state, Modi has separated the state party from Yogi’s stand. Modi says that even if Muslims do not vote for BJP. But no one can say that Bihar BJP is anti-Muslim. He said that Muslims in Bihar

don’t hate BJP. We will not raise any issue which is communal. Modi also said that we will focus our attention on development and law and order. BJP has created a balanced image in the state.

No differences with Modi : Meanwhile, MP Shatrughan Sinha denies any differences with Sushil Kumar Modi denied being. Sinha had made critical remarks about the poor performance of the BJP in the Bihar Assembly by-elections fought under Modi. He said that his intention was not to target anyone personally. He has no differences with Sushil Modi. They are our personal and political friends. While the BJP could win only four out of ten seats in the by-election, the JD(UN)-RJD-Congress alliance won six seats.

Shatrughan said his remarks regarding the Bihar by-polls were keeping in mind the larger interest of the BJP. BJP MP from Patna Sahib Shatrughan Sinha said that the contribution of Sushil Modi in the party cannot be ignored. Sinha, who was a minister in the previous Atal Bihar Vajpayee government at the Center, said that the party needs to be united in the assembly elections to be held in Bihar next year and he is ready to discharge whatever responsibility is assigned to him in it.

(ENS)