Even as the entire leadership of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was present in Ahmedabad to give ‘moral’ support to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi for his three day fast for communal harmony, peace and unity, senior leaders of the party insist that the infighting over the Prime Ministerial candidate is far from over yet.
Senior leaders of the BJP explained that all the entire leadership of BJP was present at the venue not only to support Modi but also to send out a message that there are many more capable leaders in the BJP and not just the Gujarat chief minister.
The BJP leadership also wanted to send out a clear message that there was no infighting in the party on the Prime ministerial candidate of the party and the entire leadership could stand together and share the dais.
“Just as the entire BJP leadership was present for Narendra Modi’s three day fast, similarly the entire party leadership would also take part in the yatra of LK Advani so that no one single senior BJP leader gets the entire limelight and people know that there are other party leaders in the BJP who are equally important,” said a senior BJP leader who was present at the fast.
There is a huge tussle in the BJP between senior leader LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi who want to be projected as the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate in the general elections. all the four BJP leaders want to lead the party in 2014 general elections and are of the opinion that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) must announce the Prime Ministerial candidate which could end the tussle.
The BJP leaders admitted that most of the party members were completely unaware of Advani’s plan to launch a yatra similarly not many people in the party knew that Modi would sit on a three day after the Supreme Court’s verdict.
After Advani announced his decision to go on a yatra, the BJP leadership had decided that all senior leaders and chief ministers would take part in the tour so that it doesn’t send out a message that Advani is the Prime Ministerial candidate.
Meanwhile, even as the BJP leaders were fighting amongst themselves, a major jolt to the NDA came from Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar who said that BJP had not decided anything on the Prime Ministerial candidate for 2014 elections.
“JD(U) will react or make any comment only when a formal decision for projection of a Prime Ministerial candidate is taken by the BJP. No formal decision has been taken by the BJP on the issue. Every individual, political leader or chief minister had the freedom to organise a personal or public programme of his choice in a state. It doesn't require unnecessary comment,” said Nitish Kumar, Bihar chief minister, when asked about Modi’s fast.
