Patna: In a curious turn of events, the Bihar government headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Bihar has declined to provide the bullet-proof sport utility vehicle (SUV) to Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime minister candidate Narendra Modi for his about three-hour stay in Patna during the party’s much publicised Hoonkar Rally on October 27. Modi who enjoys Z-plus security cover loves to travel in bullet-resistant SUV.

Authorities said the security personnel deployed in Modi security had earlier requested the Bihar government to provide for a bullet-resistant SUV for Modi during his visit to Patna but the latter declined to honour this request.

The Bihar government though offered a bullet-proof ambassador car which Modi apparently does not prefer to ride. Given the situation, the Gujarat has now decided to move its bullet-resistant SUV from New Delhi via Jhansi, sources informed.

The main reason why the state government refused to meet Modi’s demand is said to be two-day visit of the Bihar chief minister to his home district of Nalanda where his party is to hold “brain-storming camp” to chalk out party’s poll strategy post-National Democratic Alliance (NDA) split.

Although the crucial two-day session of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) will be beginning from October 28, Kumar will leave for his home district well before the session is to start.

Officials said Bihar has only two bullet-proof SUVs and 25 such ambassador cars. But the problem is that both the SUVs remain part of the cavalcade whenever the Bihar chief minister goes on tour of the rural areas.

“I have not seen any request (for bullet-proof SUV for Modi),” additional director general of police Ravinder Kumar told the media Friday adding the BJP’s PM candidate would be given a bullet-resistant car since he is under Z-category security cover.

As per the report, Modi will land around 11 am at the Patna airport from a special plane, from where he will go straightway to the Gandhi Maidan, venue of the rally. He will stay in the state capital for around three hours and leave Patna soon after addressing the rally. The last time he was seen at Gandhi Maidan was in May 2010 during the party two-day executive committee meet.

Modi is supposed to kick start the party’s poll campaign by addressing the party rally in Bihar, his first rally in Bihar after the NDA break-up in June this year.

Never during the last eight years while the BJP was part of the NDA government, Kumar allowed Modi to either come to Bihar or campaign for even BJP candidates. The angry BJP leaders are now set to settle scores with Kumar by inviting Modi to Bihar for the party rally.

With just two days left for the much-publicised rally, the BJP has invested all energy and are applying all tactics to make the rally a grand success. Apart from holding road shows and organising boat and cycle rallies, the party leaders have launched door to door campaign in the areas to attract the attention of the masses. The party hopes to draw more than 500,000 people at the rally site for which final touches are being to the massive preparations.