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Modi for PM
Highlights
Curtains came down on the Advani era in the saffron party, as BJP president Rajnath Singh on Friday declared Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the BJP prime ministerial candidate for the General Election in 2014. The decision was taken in the face of stiff resistance and strong reservations expressed by party patriarch L K Advani, who was even absent from the crucial meeting where the name of Modi was finally decided.
Advani isolated, skips PB meet
- Rajnath announces Modi as PM candidate
- Says Allies have extended support
- Manages to get support of Sushma, Joshi
- Advani writes to Rajnath on why he is not attending the meeting
- Modi thanks party, says he will prove himself worthy of their expectations
- Later he calls on Advani for his blessings
- Stage now set for Modi-Rahul fight in 2014 polls
- Also there will be polarisation of politics
Anita Saluja
New Delhi: Curtains came down on the Advani era in the saffron party, as BJP president Rajnath Singh on Friday declared Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the BJP prime ministerial candidate for the General Election in 2014. The decision was taken in the face of stiff resistance and strong reservations expressed by party patriarch L K Advani, who was even absent from the crucial meeting where the name of Modi was finally decided.
Rajnath Singh tried to minimise the losses, by managing to get on board leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj and former BJP president Murli Manohar Joshi, who were present in the meeting held at the BJP headquarters. Stage is now set for a direct Modi versus Rahul Gandhi contest, in the run-up to the parliamentary elections.
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With all senior leaders in attendance and Modi by his side, Rajnath Singh announced the name of Narendra Modi for the prime ministerial post for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He said that the BJP had always announced its prime ministerial candidate ahead of the general elections from 1996 to 2009. The Parliamentary Board met on this issue and decided on the name of Narendra Modi. Ironically, this time round, the word “unanimous” was missing from the announcement.
More importantly, the party failed to give a message of a happy-end to the crisis by not providing the photo-op of Advani presenting a bouquet to Modi. Advani, who preferred not to attend the Parliamentary Board meeting, shot off a missive to the BJP president. He recalled that when Rajnath came to formally invite him for the meeting, he had spoken about his “dilemma” over attending the Parliamentary Board meeting. “I expressed my displeasure to you over how the party is functioning. In the end, I have decided that it’s better that I stay away from the meeting.” Pleased to be coronated as the BJP prime ministerial candidate, Modi, who made a dramatic entry just in time, thanked the party for entrusting him with a great responsibility. He hoped that the nation would vote for the BJP in 2014 elections in the name of good governance and development, particularly when it is faced with a grave crisis.
Modi said that he started as a small worker in the party and went on to assume several important responsibilities culminating in his present elevation. He said that he would not let down any one and would leave no stone unturned to make the party victorious in the elections. He said that the party was built by both Advani and Atal Behari Vajpayee and hoped that he would prove himself worthy of their expectations. Rajnath Singh informed that all the Allies were on board and had extended their complete support to the candidature of Modi. Soon after his coronation, Modi went to Advani’s residence to seek his blessings. For Modi, who started his life from a humble beginning, working in a tea-stall, went on to rise in the RSS and BJP and finally became Gujarat Chief Minister.
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It marks an end of the Advani era, with the senior leaders rallying behind him. Modi’s emergence on the political scene is bound to change the very dynamics within the party. His style of functioning will put off the senior leaders who may find themselves sidelined with the emergence of new team. On the political scene, Modi’s projection is expected to further polarise the polity, as his opponents may rake up the fake encounter killings, in a bid to put him in a spot. Even post-poll, Modi may find it difficult to attract more political parties to the NDA fold, which is crucial for the BJP-led NDA to form the government.
Modi’s elevation was a foregone conclusion as RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had thrown his weight behind him. Scores of meetings took place in the run-up to the decision. The BJP top-brass was in a tizzy for a few days, as meetings went on till late into the nights, as Rajnath Singh’s emissaries worked overtime to win over the detractors. With Modi’s anointment, the BJP has stepped into a new phase where the slugfest between the Congress and the saffron party is bound to get shriller with each passing day.
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