Keeping the next Lok Sabha elections in mind, BJP on Sunday Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as Chairman of its Election Campaign Committee for the 2014 polls, a move considered just short of making him the prime ministerial candidate.
“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,” party President Rajnath Singh told the media at the conclusion of its 2-day deliberations.
“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.
Several other leaders including Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha, Uma Bharati and Shatrughan Sinha, who are also said to be reportedly having reservations on Modi’s elevation, also kept away from the Executive meeting.
After two days of deliberations and dilemma, the party appears to have taken the plunge by plumping for Modi in a crucial role, ignoring reservations from leaders like Advani, the tallest leader after Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Singh said all parties view elections as a challenge and BJP also viewed the coming Lok Sabha elections as a challenge and Modi’s elevation was done keeping in mind the need to achieve victory.
Modi, considered a polarising figure in the country’s politics, said in a tweet that Advani has given his “blessings” to him after Singh’s announcement.
“Spoke to Advaniji on the phone. He gave me his blessings. Honoured and extremely grateful to receive his blessings.”
“Senior leaders have reposed faith in me. We will leave no stone unturned for Congress-mukht bharat nirman (building India free of Congress). Thanks for support and blessings,” he said in another tweet message.
Today’s decision of BJP could be seen as a gamble to perk up the party’s prospects after its defeat in two consecutive Lok Sabha elections.
Throughout the whole of on Saturday, there was media speculation that the party could defer an announcement on Modi. One version was that Advani wanted that Modi should be made head of the campaign for the Assembly elections, including in states like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, later this year.
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.
Sushama Swaraj declined to make any comments when reporters sought her reaction to Singh’s announcement.
Venkaiah Naidu told a news agency that Singh had spoken to Advani on Saturday and today on the elevation of Modi.
However, sources close to Advani said there was no discussion on the issue between Singh or other BJP leaders or from the RSS either.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who has come with a demand that Modi be declared the prime ministerial candidate, said “it is a good decision taken firmly. It is a decision of everyone and based on public opinion”.
“You should have seen the clapping after the announcement was made,” he told reporters on the reaction among the delegates to Singh’s announcement.
JD (U), which is opposed to Modi being made the BJP prime ministerial candidate, sought to play down the BJP decision saying it was an internal matter of BJP as he has been made only the chief of his party’s campaign committee and not NDA.
“The NDA will decide its prime ministerial candidate,” JD(U) President Sharad Yadav said in his reaction.
Respected Editor,
Due to the Sonia’s regime, India is going to break. About that an Indian scholar Rajiv Malahotra has already written 400 pages book- ‘Breaking India’. Please search Google ‘Breaking India’ we can read the book.If the BJP strong leader Narendra Modi will be the PM of India, all the problems of India will solved.
The path for the
creator of any nation can never be obstructed. The creator create the
history of the society, history is the mirror of the nation. We can
find so many conspiracies to downfall the good man who is creater.
Similarly, the Indian traitors are busy to disturb Narendra Modi’s
good intention to build India.
So, it is simple thing to blame him, because the traitors- agents of
Christian and Sonia want to chase away him from the fake propoganda .
But all the Indian nationalists are very sensitive how to save the
good leader and Indian prestige.
Let it be- the crows are crying always near our garden.
We Nepalese extend the advance congratulate- to the most active and
dedicated Hindu and Indian nationalist- Narendra Modi-as a PM of
India. Not only India but we Nepalese people also are suffering from
the Sonia’s Christian regime. Due to her nonsense and notorious
activities-India is losing its prestige and identities. Now, the voice
is spreading to break India. Recently, a Book ‘Breaking India’, by
Rajiv Malhotra and Aravindan Neelakandan exposed-‘ India’s integrity
is being undermined by three global networks that have
well-established operating bases inside India: (i) Islamic radicalism
linked with Pakistan, (ii) Maoists and Marxist radicals supported by
China via intermediaries such as Nepal, and (iii) Dravidian and Dalit
identity separatism being fostered by the West in the name of human
rights. This book focuses on the third: the role of U.S. and European
churches, academics, think-tanks, foundations, government and human
rights groups in fostering separation of the identities of Dravidian
and Dalit communities from the rest of India.’
It is pointed that in Nepal also, USA, UE, CIA are playing the active
role to disintegrate Nepal with the slogans of Christianity and
Free-Tibet, to break China also. In this context, Sonia’s Govt has been lifting the Nepalese Maoists who are Christians. So, we all Nepalese nationalists want the leadership of Narendra Modi in India.There should be raised the slogan–‘Quit Sonia’s regime ! And Narendra Modi should be the prime minister of India to save the prestige of Indian identities and Hinduism.
Thank you
Dirgha Raj Prasai
Kathmandu