PM Modi visits flood affected Bihar, Lalu says

The Prime Minister will conduct an aerial survey of the affected regions in the state and take stock of the situation.

However, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has described the PM's programme as a "drama", saying Modi is coming at a time when flood water is receding.

"It is a drama and the flood is an excuse. He will  visit flood victims as the floodwaters are receding. Where was he when nearly 400 people died and lakhs of people were forced to flee their homes ?" he said.

The PM's visit assumes a political significance since it takes place a day before Lalu Prasad's "anti-BJP rally" on Sunday.

The rally has been called to strike unity among all non-BJP parties in the background of the volte face by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose manoeuvring has severely shaken the opposition unity.

However, that Modi does not want his visit to be interpreted in a different light can be measured from that he is going to skip a luncheon that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had offered to have together. A meeting between the two even over a lunch would have left some scopes for the opposition to point the finger at "politicking" at the time of  natural calamities, which Modi may have wanted to avoid and keep a clean slate.