Narendra Modi as Prime Minister unacceptable, indicates Nitish Kumar

New Delhi: The NDA seems to be divided in not just the race for the Presidential poll but also in the run up to the next Prime Minister. NDA ally JD(U) has made it clear that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is not acceptable to it as the Prime Ministerial candidate.

In an interview to the national daily 'Economic Times', JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar insisted that the NDA should name its Prime Ministerial candidate before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the candidate must have secular credentials and a liberal frame of mind.

This is not the first time that the Bihar Chief Minister has made his aversion to Modi apparent. In 2011, at a BJP executive in Patna, the two were at loggerheads over an advertisement issued by the Gujarat BJP.

In an interview to a national daily, Nitish Kumar insisted that the NDA\'s Prime Ministerial candidate must have secular credentials.

Modi has also been taking digs at politicians from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for what the Gujarat Chief Minister calls resorting to caste based politics.

Nitish had then said that Modi, who has been a constant irritant in the JD(U)-BJP coalition ties in Bihar, should mind his own business instead of making comments on others.

"One should think about one's own situation (Bihar par tippani karne walon ko apne halaat ke bare me sochana chahiye)", he had told reporters in reply to a question when asked for his reaction to Modi's remarks targeting Bihar leaders.

Modi and Nitish have been involved in many spats in the past.

10 June, 2012: Modi accused Bihar politicians of resorting to caste-based politics.

2009: Nitish cancelled a dinner meet to protest against an advertisement released by Gujarat BJP that showed him and Modi together.

2009: Nitish returned Modi government's Rs 5 crore flood relief cheque for Kosi flood victims.

(With additional information from PTI)

Also See

• Narendra Modi vs Nitish Kumar: Their past spats

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)