"Contest 2019 polls either on Congress or RJD ticket": Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Modi dares BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi on Friday dared disgruntled BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls from Patna on a Congress or Rashtriya Janata Dal ticket, claiming it would clear the actor-turned-politician's "misconception" about his popularity.

Modi was in Nagpur to flag off the BJP's "Bharat ki Mann ki Baat" campaign aimed at getting views of the public on issues to be highlighted in the party manifesto for the forthcoming polls.

Asked on Sinha's repeated praise of leaders of other political parties and attacks on his own party, Modi said it was an indicator of the situation he found himself in.

"Some people have a misconception (of their popularity). I challenge him to contest Patna seat from the Congress or RJD and he will realise his actual position. He will realise what his popularity is," Modi claimed.

"Gone are those days when people used to come because of Shatrughan Sinha's name. Now, he has struggled to gather people for his rally. He is not Priyanka Chopra or any other new actor," he added.

READ: Behind Every Successful Man's Fall, Is A Woman: Shatrughan Sinha

On Sinha's refusal to campaign for the BJP in the run-up to the 2010 Bihar Assembly polls, Modi said the party won three-fourth majority (along with the Janata Dal (United)) despite his no-show.

Modi also took a swipe at former Bihar deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and claimed that he was "very attached" to properties.

The Supreme Court Friday dismissed Yadav's plea, challenging the Patna High Court order, asking him to vacate a government bungalow meant for the deputy chief minister, and ordered him to shift to an accommodation for the leader of the opposition.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the RJD leader for challenging the government decision.

"Even after several orders by the High Court's single and division benches to vacate the bungalow, he approached SC on the matter. This shows how much he is in love with the bungalow, despite having 53 properties spread over Patna, Delhi and other places," Modi said in Nagpur.

READ: No More VIP Privileges For Shatrughan Sinha At Patna Airport. Details Here