BJP veteran L K Advani today said he had a stomach upset that forced him to skip the party's national executive meet, breaking his silence over his ill health that fuelled speculation on his perceived opposition to Narendra Modi getting a key post.
Advani, however, did not make any mention of Modi in his video address to a religious event here he was due to attend on a day when the Gujarat Chief Minister was anointed as the Chairman of BJP's Election Campaign Committee for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
The 83-year-old BJP leader said his stomach upset for the last three days was the reason for which he could not attend the party's deliberations in Goa that began on Friday and concluded today. Advani's absence had led to speculation that he was sulking over Modi's impending appointment.
"This morning, I told Sadhvi Priti Priynvada in Jaipur on phone tendering my apology for not attending her event...For the last three consecutive days health was so indisposed...Due to stomach upset...Loose motions are frequent...This is the reason I could not go to attend our most important national executive meeting in Goa," he said in his speech in Hindi, recorded and sent from Delhi.
Advani in his 11-minute recorded address, however, did not utter a word about any political matters or issues which were taken up at the Goa meet.
Shortly after his appointment, Modi spoke to Advani and claimed that the party veteran had given him his blessings.
"Spoke to Advani ji on the phone. He gave me his blessings. Honoured and extremely grateful to receive his blessings," Modi tweeted.
