'Advani is not angry, everything is ok': Ravi Shankar Prasad

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, who met Lal Krishna Advani at the latter's residence here on Saturday evening, said the party stalwart is not angry and all is well within the party.

"Advaniji is not angry, everything is ok. Reports of a rift are incorrect, these are baseless rumours. Advaniji's support is always with the party We all respect him, he is an integral part of the BJP," Prasad told media after the meeting.

Senior BJP leaders, including Sushma Swaraj and Ananth Kumar, met Advani at his residence here this morning apparently in a bid to pacify the veteran leader, who was opposed to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's elevation as the prime ministerial candidate.

Swaraj after the meeting said no one is upset with announcement of Modi for the top post.

"Everything is positive, nobody is upset," she said.

Modi, who was yesterday named the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, met Advani soon after his elevation.

There was, however, no official word from him after the meeting.

The Modi-for-PM announcement came after a meeting of the BJP's parliamentary board here last evening.

The announcement was made by the BJP President after a meeting of the parliamentary board, which was skipped by Advani.

Soon after the announcement, Modi thanked his party's central leadership for giving him such an important responsibility, and expressed confidence that the BJP would emerge victorious in the next general elections.

"The BJP has always given me the opportunity to work for progress and development of the party and the nation in various capacities. Today, the BJP's central leadership has given me a very big responsibility," said Modi.

"With the blessings of the national leadership and love of the party workers, I am sure we will win. I whole-heartedly thank the party workers and national leadership," he added.

Modi assured his party workers and supporters that he would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the BJP emerges victorious in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Several attempts had earlier been made by senior leaders to convince Advani, who had resigned from all party posts when Modi was appointed the election campaign committee chief in Goa earlier this year.