Will contest Bihar polls under Sushil Modi's leadership: Singh

, Aug 30: Amid intense speculations as who would lead BJP in the crucial

polls next year, senior party leader and Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today said elections would be fought under the leadership of

.

"Sushil Kumar Modi is our leader in Bihar. Be it party workers, supporters or the common people, he is acceptable to all. We'll fight the coming Bihar Assembly elections under his leadership," Singh told reporters at state party headquarters here. Singh stopped short of declaring Sushil Modi the chief ministerial candidate, but reiterated that Sushil Modi was the most popular, well known leader and face of the BJP in the state.

The Union minister's assertions came amid hot debate as who would be chief ministerial candidate of the BJP in the state. His taking name of Sushil Modi for CM post during a state executive meeting recently had triggered controversy as large number of leaders claimed eligibility for the coveted post.

On Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's statement that the 'Jan Dhan' scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday was "old wine in new bottle", Singh said "those who failed to do it are now saying these things".

The minister's taking Sushil Kumar Modi as CM candidate triggered constroversy

"If Jan-Dhan scheme is old wine in new bottle, I am surprised why no chief minister did its marketing in Bihar till now. There was no such scheme in the country under which a person would get a debit card with an accidental insurance cover of Rs one lakh besides other benefits," he said.

"My guess is that somebody misinformed Manjhi and he repeated it without thinking. Otherwise, he is a very experienced and seasoned politician," Singh said. The union minister is in Bihar to participate in the review meetings of BJP over Bihar Assembly by-poll results and preparations for the next state elections in 2015.

PTI