Modi gets reprieve, removal not now

Advani plays the peacemaker to resolve crisis over Gujarat chief minister

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi appears to have got a temporary reprieve after BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu stated that he would not be removed "at this juncture".

The issue was discussed at a BJP parliamentary board meeting after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's statements that Gujarat was one of the reasons for his party's defeat in the 2004 general elections.

"There is no move for a change in leadership in Gujarat, there is no move to remove the chief minister," said Naidu.

Asked whether Gujarat would be discussed at the National Executive, Naidu said that all states will be discussed, which also includes Gujarat.

A small committee is also to be set up to look into the causes that led to the BJP's defeat in the recent elections.

Significantly, in his first press conference, after the party's defeat former deputy prime minister LK Advani had said that such a committee would be set up, but the proposal had been shot down at another party meeting.

The revival of the committee shows that Advani's role in shaping the map for Modi's ouster will be significant. In fact, it was Advani's intervention that diffused the confrontation between the RSS and Vajpayee over Modi.

The committee will be announced at the National Executive, its report will be discussed in July, during the recess of the Budget session of Parliament.

The setting of the committee and the fact that Gujarat will be discussed point to the fact that Vajpayee wants some apportioning of blame for the party's loss to take place.

While he has accepted responsibility for the loss, his recent statements show that he has been deeply affected by the defeat and wants to make sure that the party does not forget their share of the blame.

The three-hour long meeting also saw RSS representative Madan Das Devi joining mid way through it, ostensibly to pacify an angry Vajpayee after the RSS and the VHP had denounced Vajpayee's statements on Modi and Gujarat.

The middle ground thus is being forged and an honourable way out being thrashed by the Sangh parivar to not let past failures mar future prospects.

Sources indicate that Modi will have to be removed but for reasons other than the riots. The party and the Parivar are both anxious that Modi's removal not be attached to the riots.

All members of the parliamentray board spoke during the meeting, and agreed that Modi was to be removed, the timing of it however, is a different matter.

In this light the Mumbai National Executive becomes significant, as to how the minefield of Gujarat is going to be negotiated and more importantly, how to predict what Vajpayee will say at the meeting. Going by his record so far, the BJP is right to feel nervous.