Estranged from Nitish, Sabir Ali joins BJP

Expelled Janata Dal-United Member of Parliament Sabir Ali on Friday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and praised Narendra Modi, saying the Gujarat chief minister is the "most capable" person to lead the country forward.

The JD-U had expelled Ali, once a confidant of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, for praising Modi. The party had earlier declined to renominate Ali and two other MPs, including N K Singh who also later joined BJP, to the Rajya Sabha after their term ends next month.

Ali was JD-U's candidate from Sheohar constituency for the Lok Sabha elections before the party withdrew his candidature following his praise for Modi.

"I am confident that Modi is the most capable and competent candidate to be the prime minister. The minorities, poor and deprived will benefit from his leadership," he told reporters at BJP headquarters.

He also hit out at Kumar, accusing him of "hypocrisy" and said he was expelled because he spoke about the country needing a strong and visionary leader.

Ali, who was earlier in Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party before joining Kumar, said he had seen so called secular parties from close quarters due to his association with them and there is a difference between what they preach and what they practice.

Image: Sabir Ali was JD-U's candidate from Sheohar constituency