New Delhi, October 01: The two-day BJP National Executive Meet has been overshadowed by a cold war between the party’s two big guns – LK Advani and Narendra Modi. While who’s who in the BJP trooped into the national capital for the party’s National Executive Meet, Modi made his presence felt by his absence.
The Gujarat Chief Minister skipped the event, even though open support for him came as one of the prime ministerial candidates. The BJP, however, insisted that the party isn’t divided on the leadership issue.
But not everyone tried to skirt the issue. At least Modi supporters minced no words in projecting that their leader is in the 2014 prime ministerial race and party concedes that he is in contention.
“If Narendra Modi is given the opportunity, he will prove to be India’s best prime minister,” said BJP in-charge, Gujarat and senior leader Balbir Punj.
However, BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad kept the options open by saying, “We have a galaxy of leaders for the top job”.
Though the BJP said Modi generally does not venture out of Gujarat during the navrata fasting, sources close to Modi tell a different story. They said that Modi is upset over the fact that he was not consulted before Advani announced to embark on another yatra from Karamsad in Gujarat. So, the venue had to be shifted to Bihar instead.
Modi has also not taken kindly to recent re-habilitation of his old foe Sanjay Joshi. Despite strong reservations by Modi, Joshi was invited for the National Executive Meet, after being in political wilderness for almost five years.
Sanjay Joshi had to resign from his post as general secretary of the part after a sex CD scandal. He was recently rehabilitated by Gadkari and made in-charge of poll bound Uttar Pradesh.
Defending Modi’s decision to skip the meet, BJP leader Vinay Katiyar said, “Narendra Modi has done good work in Gujarat…the task remains unfinished. He has to focus on the state.”
After Modi’s grandstanding post the Supreme Court reprive on Gujarat riots case, there is a certain unease within a section of the party with the way Modi has been positioning himself for the top job.
–Agencies–