The 84-year-old veteran's surprise remarks were immediately lapped up by Congress and other parties which said he has conceded defeat even before the race has begun while BJP leaders differed with Advani's assessment.
Writing in his blog, Advani ruled out formation of a government headed by the Third Front but said that a non- Congress, non-BJP Prime Minister heading a government supported by one of these two parties is possible.
"A non-Congress, non-BJP Prime Minister heading a government supported by one of these two principal parties is, however, feasible. This has happened in the past also," he said but cautioned that such a dispensation may not last long.
Advani recalled a recent conversation he had with two Cabinet Ministers in which they had said they foresaw formation of a Third Front government after the 2014 polls but the BJP leader did not agree with this view.
The remarks of Advani, who is said to be not sharing the rapport which he once had with Modi, have been interpreted by observers whether it was intended against the Gujarat Chief Minister as Prime Ministerial candidate and his unhappiness with the state of affairs in the party.
After the recent National Executive meeting in Mumbai, which saw the coming together of party President Nitin Gadkari and Modi, Advani had written a blog expressing his unhappiness over the state of affairs in the party.
Advani's blog has come against the backdrop of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar seeking an assurance from the BJP that Modi will not be NDA's Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2014 general elections.
Gadkari had said on Friday that he had discussed the issue of Prime Ministerial candidate with Kumar and assured him that no decision has yet been taken on Modi being the party's choice for the top post.(More)
