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Hours before the final announcement of Narendra Modi as BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate, the countdown had begun in the social media world with the Twitterati busy keying in either rooting or lampooning in 140 characters on #NaMo. Adding to their numbers were BJP and Congress trolls, who all day lost no opportunity in tweeting against each other. Modi’s following and fan base on Twitter is legendary.
A hashtag that had been trending since morning was #BJPKiPareshani. One tweet simply put it, "#BJPKiPareshani having leaders like #Advani is such a pain! Can we just clone Modi so each leader is just him?“
Another interesting take was, “Special Court gives death sentence in #DelhiGangRape. Special Court of BJP, RSS, gives political death sentence to #Advani. #BJPKiPareshani”
Ardent Modi supporters were confined not just to India but abroad with one from Toronoto, even tweeting that he was awake all night and would not sleep until Modi was crowned.
As soon as Modi was crowned, the #NaMo chorus started. “Now official celebration started...Chant #NaMo Chant #NaMo Chant #NaMo Chant #NaMo Chant #NaMo Chant #NaMo Chant #NaMo Chant #NaMo,” tweeted one.
Another Modi fan tweeted, “Congratulations to all nationalists! #NaMo declared as BJP's PM candidate! The real fight begins now. #NaMo4PM ”.
The pro- #NaMo tsunami swept the social media site. “ #NaMo4PM! :) BJP made the right decision at right time!! #NaMO , the man who is gonna take Bharath 2 great heights!.congrats @narendramodiji!”
However, there were also voices from the other camp. Sombre Chevalier @ImFilmmaker tweeted, “Today #BJP will officially embrace communalism & appoint #Namo as their PM candidate. What a way to shoot urself in foot :)” One Liners @one1iners tweeted, “ #NaMo has won #Gujarat first by polarising #BJP, but #Delhi is not #Gandhinagar. And #Advani is not #Keshubhai . And we are not idiots.”
While Modi trended, veteran LK Advani who opposed Modi’s elevation also figured in the Twitter world with denizens either ncommiserating with the senior leader or lambasting him for being an obstacle in Modi’s path.
Friends of Congress tweeted,”What will be more today on twitter: Congrats for #Modi or abuse for #Advani?” Avinash Kalla tweeted, “L K Advani missing from the anointment of Narendra Modi deprives scribes of the perfect Kodak Moment #NaMoinDelhi”
Congress leaders had been tweeting since morning critiquing Modi’s supposed elevation.
Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed tweeted, “Is Rajnath Ji with the help of RSS using Modi Ji to sideline Advani Ji&Sushma Ji for his own chance, when Modi Ji will be rejected in 2014?” I&B minister Manish Tewari took to Twitter to launch a scathing attack on the BJP. “A Nagpur based shadowy cabal of unaccountable geriatric gentlemen in period attire ram decisions down BJP's throat & call it Int Democracy!”
BJP stalwart Sushma Swaraj who is usually so frequent on Twitter was conspicuous by her absence. Swaraj is known to be close to LK Advani. Her last tweet today was on welcoming the verdict on the Delhi gang rape case.
A true blue Modi supporter, former Deputy CM of Bihar, Sushil Kumar Modi tweeted, @narendramodi is not only NDA's PM candidate but has become people's candidate for the PM's post.” He went on, ‘It is like American presidential election where primary members of republican and democratic party elect their their presidential candidates.” And finally tweeted, “ In the same way the BJP workers,sympathisers and common man have elected their PM candidate for 2014.”
