Rousing welcome for Modi on arrival in Goa for BJP national executive meet

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who is being touted as the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) possible prime ministerial candidate and the one who will lead the party's 2014 general election campaign, was given a rousing welcome by BJP supporters and leaders soon after his arrival here on Friday.

He was received by Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and other senior party leaders.

Soon after his arrival, Modi offered his condolences to Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and his family on hearing the news of the death of the latter's mother in Chennai. He prayed for the peace of the departed soul and for the almighty to give strength to the Chidambaram family in their hour of bereavement.

Chidambaram's mother Lakshmi Palaniappan passed away early this morning at her residence in Chennai.

She was 92 and is survived by two sons, P Lakshmanan and P Chidambaram and a daughter.

Modi, however, did not speak about his expectations from the BJP national executive.

Modi's arrival in Panaji came even as news filtered in about senior BJP leader L.K Advani will not be attending the national executive meeting today.

According to reports, Advani is unwell and will skip an important session of the party's office-bearers today. He will arrive in Goa tomorrow.

Today's meeting will be followed by a meeting of the national executive - a group of about 300 leaders, including chief ministers- to discuss the BJP's strategy for approaching state elections and next year's general election.

Television reports suggest that today's meeting may also take a call on Modi's role in leading the party's 2014 poll campaign.

The BJP had earlier downplayed reports that Modi will head the campaign committee for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, and said that party chief Rajnath Singh will take a final call on it at an appropriate time.

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar lauded Modi, saying he is one of the most respected and successful BJP chief ministers.

"Narendra Modi is our most senior and successful chief minister. He is quite popular among the people throughout the country and has become a symbol of corruption-free governance," said Javadekar.

"Now, what responsibilities he should be given and when he should be given that is a subject for the parliamentary board and the national president. The national president will make announcements at an appropriate time ," he added.