Panjim, June 9: Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday announced Narendra Modi as chairman of its Election Campaign Committee for the 2014 polls. This news is confirmed by National President of BJP Rajnath Singh. Rajnath Singh said to media,”I want to give you a significant information. I have announced (at the National Executive) that Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as chairman of the BJP Election Campaign Committee, keeping in mind the challenge of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and to achieve victory in the polls.”
Rajnath Singh Brushes aside reservations of patriarch LK Advani and some other senior leaders and made a move which considered as just sort of making Modi the prime ministerial candidate.
The announcement was made in a terse statement by Singh who was flanked by leaders of Opposition in Parliament Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, former president M Venkaiah Naidu, general secretary Ananth Kumar among others. No questions were taken at the media interaction.
“Whatever has happened has happened on the basis of consensus,” Singh said without elaborating. The decision to appoint 63-year-old Modi came against the backdrop of Advani, who is said to be strongly opposed to the elevation of Modi, keeping away from the meeting.
Singh said, “We are absolutely sure that the Congress-led UPA government has lost the confidence of the people and are confident that the BJP will be voted to power in the 2014 elections.”
Party sources said Singh resolved the dilemma after it was felt the meeting should not conclude without a “result” as it would lead to demoralisation of the cadre. Hence, the announcement was made, they said.
The announcement of Modi’s elevation towards the end of Singh’s valedictory address at the National Executive session was received with cheers and standing ovation.
One of the delegates said there was clapping for five minutes as a signal of acceptance of the decision on Modi.
Party spokesperson Siddarthnath Singh said Rajnath Singh announced in the Executive meeting that Advani has given his consent to the decision.
Party sources also said with his Sunday’s elevation Modi will oversee the party’s election campaign across the country for creating a national mood and enthusiasm among the party cadre and the public.
Manohar Parrikar, CM of Goa has come with a demand that Modi be declared the prime ministerial candidate. “it is a good decision taken firmly. It is a decision of everyone and based on public opinion”.
Parrikar told reporters on the reaction among the delegates to Singh’s announcement, “You should have seen the clapping after the announcement was made.”
Bureau Report
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