Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yashwant Sinha who was absent from the Goa BJP conclave, on Sunday, criticised media for forcing the BJP into a "quicksand of an imagined clash of personalities".
"In the last three days I have been shown as anti-Narendra Modi and pro-LK Advani. The fact of the matter is I have spoken to none of them. The media has forced us into quicksand of an imagined clash of personalities, there is no Advani-Modi' clash'," Sinha told media after Modi named as the chairman of party's campaigning committee for 2014 election.
"I was one of the earliest to speak in favour of Narendra Modi. The reason was the cadres wanted it, people wanted it. He has no match in the Congress party or elsewhere. Unfortunately the BJP has one major flaw. We are too sensitive to the views in the media. We often allow media to dictate agenda", Sinha added.
Sinha also said that his support for Advani stemmed from Indian cultural values teach the highest respect for our elders.
"We do that everyday in our families and deride those who do not do so. It was this feeling in my mind that prompted me to say that if Advani was on board, then the leadership question should be put to rest. This was misinterpreted by the media as me changing my support", he added.
Referring to pro-Modi protests that took place outside Advani's Delhi residence on Saturday, Sinha said: "Advani is not only the most senior leader, he is one of its most respected. What happened in front of his house yesterday is condemnable."
Sinha on Saturday rubbished media reports that he was not attending the Goa conclave because he is sick, and said that he is not suffering from "NaMonia", as has been headlined in many dailies.
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"I am not suffering from "NaMonia". I am in perfect health, but there can be several other reasons for me not going to Goa," he told mediapersons here, while expressing his displeasure over media publishing baseless stories about him.
Several BJP leaders, including party veteran Lal Krishna Advani, gave the two-day national executive meet in Goa a miss, prompting the ruling Congress Party to say "Namonitis" had struck the BJP. They were calling it "NaMonia" on Twitter.
Advani did not attend a national executive meet for the first time since the BJP was founded. There have been reports that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh wanted a decision to be taken in Goa regarding the appointment of Narendra Modi.
Advani's absence from the office bearer's meeting in Goa gave rise to speculation that he is upset with the proposal of making Modi the face of the party's poll campaign panel.
Yashwant Sinha, Jaswant Singh, Uma Bharti, Maneka Gandhi, Varun Gandhi and Shatrughan Sinha also did not attended the Goa conclave.
Modi's detractors fear that his elevation as chief of the party's election committee is just one step away from him being declared the BJP's prime ministerial candidate.