Sushil Kumar Modi

Patna, June 9: His victory at the end of the two-month-long rebellion has humbled the already reticent Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

“I have no qualms in accepting my weaknesses. There must have been some shortcomings on my part that led a section of the BJP — a party that I consider as a family — to raise their voices against me. I will correct myself,” Modi said, while talking exclusively to The Telegraph a day after passing the test.

Sources in the central leadership revealed that the party bosses have advised the deputy chief minister to make changes in his style of dealing with legislators and cadre and be more accessible and communicative in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls due within a year.

Modi stressed that he would be following exactly what the bosses have asked him to do.

Modi has emerged as a stronger man after the party central leadership allowed his continuance as the deputy chief minister as well as the legislature party leader on the basis of an overwhelming number of legislators voting in his favour yesterday.

“I do not take the result in terms of victory for one and defeat for others. It was an issue within our own family that we sorted out. It’s a victory for all and the party has emerged stronger in the state,” he said.

There was an impression so far in the NDA circle that backed by the BJP high command Modi was the “high-command’s man” and not as acceptable to his legislators as Nitish Kumar or Lalu Prasad were to their respective cadre. But the voting in his favour has established Modi as the leader in his own right.

Though the BJP high command has not revealed the number of votes polled against him, or in his favour, well-placed sources revealed today that Modi has secured the support of 52 legislators out of the 69 in the state.

Replying to a query of how he plans to win back the faction that voted against him, Modi replied: “I am not the leader of a faction or a group. I am the leader of all 69 legislators who have worked like a family with me ever since 1990.”

Modi claimed there was no dissidence within the party now. “I have requested all my colleagues to make a fresh start to register a grand success in the coming Lok Sabha polls. We will take up the challenge together.”

Asked about a possibility of change in the relationship between BJP and JD(U) in view of the rebels’ allegation that he had been playing second fiddle to Nitish Kumar, Modi said: “The BJP and JD(U) share a cordial relationship based on mutual trust and co-operation. The relationship will stay as it is, as it has worked out well.”

He pointed out that usually the workers of one party feel neglected at times in a two-party coalition. “It’s applicable to members of coalitions,” he said, adding: “The NDA will work with more sensitivity and will address the cause of legislators more.”