BJP in huddle mode to protect Narendra Modi

Fears the Gujarat CM may be drawn into a controversy before 2014 elections.

At a time the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership wants the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to decide the probable prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 general elections, the party has come together to protect Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, fearing the UPA government and the Congress might try to frame him.

Senior RSS and BJP leaders believe Modi should be extra cautious till the 2012 Gujarat assembly elections, as he might be subjected to repeated political attacks and attempts to get him framed to scuttle his movement to New DElhi.

“The upcoming Gujarat elections would be very crucial. Even as we want to believe it will be a cakewalk for Modi given his popularity in the state, we don’t want him to get involved in any case,” said a senior BJP leader known to be close to the RSS. The BJP leadership believes that because of Modi’s prior commitment to Gujarat, the chief minister had not given his consent when offered the BJP presidency before the appointment of Nitin Gadkari.

“For Modi, it is best to concentrate on Gujarat elections for now, after which he could get a more prominent role at the national level. He had rejected the post of party president only to concentrate on Gujarat,” added the BJP leader.

A prominent section within the RSS believes Modi to be the most acceptable person within the party, thanks to his popularity not only in Delhi, but all over the country.

Senior BJP leaders allege the only way to dent Modi’s popularity is by naming him in a case related to the Gujarat riots or corruption. The state Opposition has alleged the involvement of the Modi government in large-scale corruption, which is why the appointment of an independent Lok Ayukta was being blocked by the Gujarat government.

Senior BJP and NDA leaders have openly come out against the recent appointment of R A Mehta as Lok Ayukta by Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal. They have alleged the appointment is not only unconstitutional, but also undemocratic.

On the other hand, the Modi government has alleged Mehta should not have been appointed as the Lok Ayukta, as he was not politically detached and had been a critic of Modi’s government.