Modi factor exposes BJP chinks

No proposal to replace Gujarat chief minister, says Naidu

In a move that amounted to a virtual public snub to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief M Venkiah Naidu told reporters that there was no proposal to change the leader of the BJP government in Gujarat.

"Nor will this issue be on the agenda of the national executive in Mumbai (one June 23 and 24)," Naidu said on Monday.

He said he had spoken to Vajpayee on the telephone before issuing the clarification.

Vajpayee had yesterday said Gujarat riots had led to the party's defeat in the general elections and that he had been in favour of replacing Modi, an issue that was still on the anvil and likely to be discussed at the Mumbai national executive meeting.

There was no word from former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani on the controversy, generated by Vajpayee's unusually blunt and sharply worded replies to questions from Zee News in Manali where he is currently on holiday.

Party sources said the Big Two - Advani and Vajpayee - had apparently not consulted each other yet on this issue. Advani is also away on holiday in Hardwar.

Naidu spoke to reporters after a meeting of senior party leaders at his residence here. The meeting discussed the impact Vajpayee's remarks had on the rest of the Sangh family, including the Rashtriya Swaymsewak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

In a clear attempt to paper over the damage done by Vajpayee's remarks Naidu said he had spoken to the former Prime Ministerv this morning and told him of the various "unwarranted" interpretations being put to his remarks in the last two days.

The BJP chief said Vajpayee told him that he had not stated that the Gujarat violence was the reason for the party's defeat. "He and we are of the view that the BJP was not defeated because of Gujarat violence," he said.

The BJP chief said the national executive would be meeting in Mumbai for the sole purpose of discussing the strategy for ensuing assembly polls in five states"" Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh""the task ahead, strengthening of the party and regaining the confidence of the people.

"We look to future. We have tasks ahead. We have next round of elections. We had enough discussion on (Modi) issue", he said. He, however, said the affairs of the party in Gujarat would be discussed separately.

He quoted Vajpayee as saying that the vicious campaign carried out by the Congress and "pseudo secular" parties, which had distributed inflammatory material and CDs, had affected the BJP to some extent.

He parried a question on RSS chief KS Sudarshan's reaction to Vajpayee's remarks. He, however, disagreed with VHP leaders Praveen Togadia and Giriraj Kishore's remarks on the issue.

"We fought elections on our agenda and under the leadership of Vajpayee. We accept the results and if there is any deficiency, we will rectify and move forward", he said adding "there is no dichotomy".

The BJP today was torn between trying to defend Vajpayee and trying to justify his move to distance himself from Modi. A group in the party was upset that Vajpayee considered his own image more important than the party's and had lashed out at Modi to retrieve his own standing following the 2004 electoral defeat.

Another group was of the view that Vajpayee had only given voice to what the party and its allies had been thinking and that this was done to keep the alliance together.

Whatever the reason, Vajpayee's remarks created a stir in the BJP and legitimised a schism in the BJP over Modi's status and standing in the party.

Although there was no word from Ahmedabad, Modi's supporters were clear that not only did Modi expect to be removed from his post, but that he would preferred to be removed for being too pro-Hindtuva rather than an anemic liberal.