“These leaders become secular when they do not need the support of the BJP, but conveniently forget the secular credentials when the party’s help is needed,” said Giriraj Singh.

He also recalled how Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan had served in the Vajpayee cabinet. Earlier in the day Nitish told the Economic Times:

“It (the prime ministerial candidate) should not be someone who can develop developed states, but who has a feel for underdeveloped states.” The message was loud and clear. Interestingly, Nitish’s deputy, Sushil Kumar Modi, for the second time in quick succession, disagreed with the chief minister.

He said that it is too early to decide the prime ministerial candidate when the election to Lok Sabha is due in 2014. On the other hand Union law minister Salman Khurshid welcomed Nitish Kumar’s remarks on secular prime ministerial candidate.

But the RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, while taking a dig at the Bihar chief minister, asked as to who is secular in the BJP. Why is Nitish reminded of a secular person in the BJP after so many years in power with it.

If there is one secular person in the BJP he should name him or her, he asked. Political observers are of the view that Nitish Kumar is using the occasion of presidential election to distance itself from the BJP. What is strange is that while the West Bengal chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, is repeatedly accusing the Congress of not consulting her before naming Pranab Mukherje the Janata Dal (United) did not wait for any request from the Congress before supporting its candidate.

It was as early as the last week of April that its national general secretary, Shivanand Tiwary, told media that both Vice President Hamid Ansari and Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee were good candidates.