New Delhi: Party veteran LK Advani, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and Murli Manohar Joshi are said to be leading the camp of leaders who are opposed – at least on the issue of timing – to the announcement of Modi as PM candidate. They want the declaration to be postponed till the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi. With the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) firmly putting its weight behind Narendra Modi as PM candidate of the BJP in 2014, his detractors in party appears to be left with very little maneuvering space.
However, the RSS and the BJP top brass seems to have made up its mind not to delay the matter any further and are pushing for the announcement to be made when BJP parliamentary board meets next, within the next few days. Understanding that the main stumbling block is Advani’s opposition, the party top brass in a final bid to ensure unanimity sent former party president Nitin Gadkari to meet Advani yesterday evening. Gadkari flew to Nagpur after the meeting – he may have had appraised the RSS leadership on the outcome of his talks with Advani.
Gadkari did not meet Joshi and Swaraj though the possibility of him having reached out to them on the phone has not been ruled out. As part of effort, party president Rajnath Singh will meet Advani later today. RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat had held a dinner meeting with Advani and Swaraj last week to discuss this issue. Earlier, RSS General Secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi had also met Advani and Swaraj separately to convince them. Reports said today that the ‘for Modi’ leaders in the BJP want the parliamentary board meeting to be convened on September 13 or latest by September 16. They are willing to leave the choice of the date to Advani but won’t agree to any further deadly on the matter, reports added.
Although it is yet unclear whether Advani will have a change of heart but it appears highly unlikely that he can push for any further delay in Modi’s anointment as BJP’s PM in waiting. Senior Ravi Shankar Prasad summed it up when he said, “Advani is our tallest leader…allow the BJP parliamentary board to take a decision.
Bureau Report
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