BJP leader Uma Bharti praised Nitish Kumar for prohibition, also spoke on PM Modi's option

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Uma Bharti on Friday praised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Uma Bharti hailed Nitish's decision to implement prohibition in Bihar but said he cannot be a substitute for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a unique person and such people are rare. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti has been demanding a complete ban on liquor in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh for a long time.

Uma Bharti lauded the Bihar chief minister, saying, "Nitish Kumar has at least shown the courage to implement complete prohibition in his state." Asked whether Nitish Kumar will emerge as an alternative to Modi, Uma "He will not be able to do this, the question does not arise because Modi is a unique person and such persons are rare," Bharti said. Besides, he (Modi) is God's creation and people are with him. But Kumar's efforts will strengthen the opposition as it is good for democracy.

Nitish had recently severed ties with BJP and is making efforts for unity of opposition parties. Uma Bharti welcomed Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's desire to reduce the sale of liquor in the state. She said that she would raise awareness on this issue by sitting near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the state capital. Bharti has been opposing the sale of liquor in the state for a long time, citing the plight of women and their demand for prohibition.

Uma Bharti criticized her close aide Pritam Singh Lodhi for her derogatory remarks against the Brahmin community and said she scolded Lodhi and asked state BJP president VD Sharma to apologize over the issue. However, the BJP expelled Lodhi from the party even after apologizing in this matter. On allegations of corruption by the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party in the Madhya Pradesh government's Poshan-Aahar nutrition scheme, Uma Bharti said that the CM has already given a statement and she will not comment on the issue.