GAYA: Senior BJP leader and former Dy CM Sushil Kumar Modi created a flutter in political circles by dragging US President Barack Obama and Pakistan PM Nawaz sharif in the Bihar poll battle. Speaking at the Parivartan rally in Gaya on Sunday, shortly before the arrival of PM Narendra Modi, the junior Modi popularly known as SuMO in Bihar politics said that even US President Barack Obama and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif can not stop NDA from coming to power in Bihar.

The Junior Modi also said that his optimism was based on the new political equation in the state in which both Mandal (Backwards) and Kamandal (Hindutva forces) were on the side of the NDA.

Former CM and HAM leader Jitan Ram Manjhi who spoke after Sushil Modi at the Parivartan rally said that Nitish Kumar's commitment to secularism was skin deep, as the CM paid only lip service to the minorities and kept an important institution like Maulana Mazharul Haque Arabic and Persian University in virtual limbo. It was he who put life in the otherwise dying university, claimed Manjhi.

RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha appeared to be confused as while partially agreeing with Lalu on two important points, Kushwaha said that much change has taken place in the state which needed growth with justice.

Quoting Lalu, Kushwaha said that Lalu Prasad has expressed the apprehension that Bihar politics was moving back to the pre 1990 days. Though Kushwaha did not elaborate on the pre 1990 issue, the reference was clear as it meant pre Mandal era in which the upper castes held the sway.

Like Lalu, he (Kushwaha) too did not want Bihar politics to move back to pre 1990 period, said Upendra. But post 1990 era too was also not the best of times, said the Union Minister and as such he wanted Bihar politics to assimilate elements of identity and development politics. The other issue on which Kushwaha partially agreed with Lalu was the release of the caste census report. While favouring release of caste census data, Kushwaha said that the report must be released only the process was complete.

Much of Ram Bilas Paswan's speech was lost in the din created by the breaking of the barricades and near free for all in the front enclosures. The crowd also invaded the media enclosure and some media persons had to run for safe cover.

IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wondered how the 'Barh Chala Bihar' can be credible with Lalu sharing the driving seat. Prasad also said that CM Nitish Kumar was shying away from the RJD chief and did not go the whole hog to acknowledge Lalu's political embrace.