Before Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi plans to play a major role in national politics and comes to Delhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior has to first answer the crucial question of appointing a trusted lieutenant in the state to run the administration.
Although there is no plan to bring Modi at the Centre, party leaders admit there is little choice. For, there is a growing demand from workers at the grassroots to make Modi the Prime Ministerial candidate. BJP leaders here agree Modi is the most popular among them, a crowd puller in almost every state.
“No senior leader has so far made any announcement on making someone the Prime Ministerial candidate. Many friends, well-wishers and non-political persons are giving this suggestion. There is a nationwide debate going on over this. It is a matter of pride for us. Narendra Modi has all the qualifications, ability to be Prime Minister. But elections will be held in 2014. The party leadership will discuss the issue before the elections and decide on who should lead for the elections, on whether to project someone as Prime Minister. So far, the party has not discussed about the Prime Ministerial projection and we have not taken any decision,” said M Venkaiah Naidu, former national head of the BJP, while talking to reporters in Hyderabad.
Modi has won Gujarat for a third term in a row with about a two-thirds majority of seats in the legislative assembly. This latest victory is significant because, for the first time, Modi faced a formidable challenge from a combination of the Congress party, from ex-chief minster and ex-BJP veteran Keshubhai Patel and local leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh working against him.
As it happens, Modi has been silently nurturing at least three seniors in the Gujarat ministry. They could become CM as and when he decides to start a march towards Delhi. One is the state’s revenue minister, Anandiben Patel, not only a confidant of his but also enjoying respect from state party seniors. The only worry for Modi in making Patel his successor is her health problems. Then there is Saurabh Patel, who handles the portfolios of energy, petrochemicals and finance. He has a good rapport with most industry groups and is a minister of state, with the senior in these ministries being Modi himself. There is also the former minister of state for home affairs, Amit Shah, now facing trial on a criminal charge, who was recently re-elected to the assembly with a huge margin.
