Senior BJP leader L K Advani today praised the good work done by Narendra Modi in Gujarat, in remarks seen as softening his opposition to the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate.
At the same time, he also commended the work done by the BJP governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
"Today, if he (Modi) has been entrusted with the responsibility of the country by my party BJP, then all the good tasks undertaken by our governments in various states would be carried out all over the country," Advani told reporters after his first public speech at a rally here since Modi's anointment on Friday.
His remarks assume significance for the fact that Advani had stubbornly resisted anointment of Modi as BJP's PM nominee on Friday. He had even refused to attend the BJP's Parliamentary Board meeting which endorsed Modi's name.
Advani, who got isolated with his stand on Modi, today said "Gujarat is the first state in the country where electricity is available in all villages 24 hours a day and the credit for that goes to Narendra Modi."
Though Advani, Sushma Swaraj and BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi were said to have been against Modi's elevation ahead of assembly elections to five states, both the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and Joshi had attended Friday's meeting of the Parliamentary Board where the decision was taken.
Advani was addressing a gathering after dedicating to the nation a 500 MW power plant of the Hasdeo extension project of Chhattisgarh state power generation company limited.
Referring to Modi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the same breath, Advani praised the Gujarat Chief Minister for being the first in providing electricity to all villages in his state, a task which has now been accomplished by Chouhan.
