New Delhi: BJP chief Rajnath Singh’s meeting with Sushma Swaraj has been shifted to 6 pm. The duo were earlier supposed to meet at 2:30 pm. Senior BJP leader and Bihar’s former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi tried to water down the controversy over his tweet on Wednesday night, saying he never criticised LK Advani, who is his mentor. Last night, the 85-year-old party doyen had tweeted: “Adavaniji has failed to gauge the public mood. Advaniji himself declared Atalji as PM candidate now also he could have done the same for Namo (sic).” Underlining the massive support enjoyed by Narendra Modi in Bihar as well as across the nation, Sushil Kumar Modi said BJP and RSS workers want Advani to come forward and support the Gujarat CM.
We will succeed in nominating Narendra Modi for PM’s post, Sushil Kumar Modi told a news channel. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan told a news channel that there was no difference within BJP over Narendra Modi. He also vowed to support whatever decision the BJP takes. Janata Dal (United) spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member KC Tyagi said his party won’t let Narendra Modi become next PM. BJP chief Rajnath Singh to meet Sushma Swaraj at 2.30 pm to discuss the declaration of Narendra Modi as the party’s Prime Ministerial candidate.
What is happening in the BJP on declaration of PM candidate shows there is no unanimity within party, says BJP leader LK Advani’s former aide Sudheendra Kulkarni. Taking a jibe a Modi, Kulkarni called the Gujarat Chief Minister as someone who is socially polarising and now is polarising party. The question is whether can this leader (Narendra Modi) provide a stable government, the answer is no, added Kulkarni. Saying that he doesn’t think Narendra Modi is the right person to lead the country, Kulkarni underlined that the control of the RSS on the BJP is increasing by every passing day now. The major decisions in the BJP are taken outside the party. The RSS decides who should be PM and when to announce, added Kulkarni.
Amid hectic efforts to convince LK Advani to give up his opposition to Narendra Modi as Prime Ministerial candidate, BJP president Rajnath Singh said there was no rift in the party over the issue.
“There is no problem…I want to say,” Singh said here when asked whether there is any hitch in declaring Modi as BJP Prime Ministerial candidate. Asked when the parliamentary party meeting will take place, Singh said, “It will be conveyed to you. It will be announced.” When asked repeatedly whether there is any unhappiness in the party over Modi issue, he said, “No one is unhappy in the party.” LK Advani is reported to have told senior BJP and RSS leaders that his inner voice doesn’t allow him to support Narendra Modi for the post of prime minister.
According to sources, Advani conveyed this during his meetings with BJP president Rajnath Singh and RSS leaders earlier this week. The BJP veteran is further reported to have told Rajnath that projecting Modi as the party’s PM candidate would turn out to be a “disaster” and will “destroy the party’s prospects” in the 2014 polls. The BJP is likely to hold its parliamentary board meets tomorrow to decide on naming Modi as the PM candidate. BJP’s prime ministerial nominee for the 2014 General Elections would be announced after “talking to everyone”, party president Rajnath Singh said.
“We will decide after talking to everyone,” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh told a news channel. Party spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi added: “Discussions are going on and we will announce the nominee soon. There is no contradiction in the party on who will be the prime ministerial candidate. All is well.” Amid efforts to convince LK Advani on declaring Narendra Modi as BJP’s prime ministerial candidate ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha polls, party leader from Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi on early Thursday morning said the veteran leader had failed to gauge the public mood in this regard. The former Bihar deputy chief minister said Advani had declared Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the party’s face in the past and he could have done the same for Narendra Modi today.
Bureau Report
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