Nitish Kumar to campaign against Narendra Modi in Gujarat

New Delhi: The battle lines between Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are set to sharpen further with Janata Dal (United) President Sharad Yadav saying that Kumar will campaign against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat as there is no National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state.

"Nitish Kumar will campaign in Gujarat. We can have alliance in several other states but Gujarat. We have been contesting elections in Gujarat. There is no NDA there. There is no JD(U)-BJP alliance in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi among others," said Yadav.

Modi and Kumar have shared a tumultuous relationship with the Bihar Chief Minister refusing to allow the Gujarat Chief Minister to campaign in Bihar during the 2010 Assembly elections. He also returned a cheque of Rs 5 crore that the Gujarat government had given to Bihar for Kosi flood relief.

JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav said his party can have an alliance with the BJP in several other states but Gujarat.

A few months ago Kumar also raised the question of the next NDA prime ministerial candidate and indicating that he would not favour Modi if the BJP tried to project him for the topmost political post of the country.

Modi, too, lost no chance to take on Kumar and in June 2012 accused Bihar politicians of resorting to caste-based politics, blaming it for the state's economic backwardness.

Modi vs Nitish: A quick glance

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

2010: Nitish cancelled a dinner meet to protest against an advertisement released by Gujarat BJP that showed him and Modi together.

2010: Nitish returned Modi government's Rs 5 crore flood relief cheque for Kosi flood victims.

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