Sushil Kumar Modi: The man behind BJP’s rise in Bihar, was shaped by JP movement

Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi died Monday night at AIIMS, New Delhi. He was 72.

The veteran leader was battling cancer for the past eight months. Hospital sources said he breathed his last at 9.45 pm.

In his condolence message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sushil Modi played an invaluable role in the rise and success of the BJP in Bihar. “Strongly opposing the Emergency, he made a name for himself in student politics. He was known as a very hardworking and sociable MLA. He had a deep understanding of the issues related to politics. He also did a lot of commendable work as an administrator. His active role in the passage of GST will always be remembered,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X.

One of the three famous products of the J P Movement along with RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Sushil Modi was considered the tallest BJP leader in Bihar after Kailashpati Mishra.

He is often credited with transforming the BJP into a formidable force in the state in the 1990s, with it emerging as the principal Opposition party in 1995. He was instrumental in building strong ties with NDA ally and JD(U) chief Nitish, who would often give him credit for bringing about the state’s economic turnaround.

In July 2011, Sushil Modi was appointed chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers for the implementation of GST.

He served as Deputy Chief Minister for over 11 years in two stints — the first from November 2005 to June 2013, and then from July 2017 to December 2020 — stitching up a formidable combination with Nitish.

Nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2020, his tenure came to an end recently.

In a statement, Nitish expressed grief over the demise of