Shah keeps Prem by his side, sparks speculation on CM face

PATNA: BJP president Amit Shah sprung a surprise at his first press conference in Patna on Monday by having six-time party MLA and former minister Prem Kumar seated on his side. Others on the dais with Shah were Union minister and party’s Bihar election in charge Ananth Kumar, BJP chief Mangal Pandey and former state chief Gopal Narain Singh.
Shah’s gesture towards Prem could not escape the notice of media persons.One of them asked, “You are having him on the stage with you. Is there any symbolic value attached to it?” Shah smiled, “It is up to you to decide.”
Prem, who belongs to an EBC (extremely backward class) caste, hit headlines recently when BJP national president Shahnawaz Hussain, while addressing a meeting in his favour, appealed to people to vote for him, saying, “If you elect him, he will bring glory to Gaya (from where he is elected MLA).”
Many interpreted Hussain’s statement as a hint that he could be the chief minister if the BJP comes to power in the state.
The speculative list of the party’s CM candidates keeps shrinking or expanding, depending on the frequency with which one gets closer to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, waves to crowds with him, wins a glance from him or manages to exchange a few words with him – all on the stage erected for his address at election rallies.
The stage meant for the PM, of course, is crowded, packed as it is by NDA leaders and also Union ministers.