Shiv Sena says Modi campaign chief of BJP not NDA

Shiv Sena congratulates the newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party poll campaign chief Narendra Modi, but stated clearly that he is not NDA's campaign chief.

Array

Shiv Sena party spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, "We welcome the decision of BJP. He is the BJP's campaign committee chief, not the NDA's. So no one should have problem."

BJP President Rajnath Singh earlier made the big announcement on Modi and during his address he said, "We have decided Narendra Modi as chairman of the central campaign committee. This is an unanimous decision. We have full confidence that BJP will come to power in 2014."

Array

"The whole party has faith that he will lead us to victory", he added.

The announcement came at the end of a dramatic two-day conclave that saw strong resistance from party veteran L K Advani and some other senior leaders to the appointment of Narendra Modi and chairman of the campaign committee.

Advani did not attend a national executive meet for the first time since the BJP was founded. There have been reports that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh wanted a decision to be taken in Goa regarding the appointment of Narendra Modi.

Advani's absence from the office bearer's meeting in Goa has given a clear indication that he is upset with the proposal of making Modi the face of the party's poll campaign panel.

Array

Some senior BJP leaders are also opposed to Modi being projected as the party's foremost leader. Yashwant Sinha, Jaswant Singh, Uma Bharti, Maneka Gandhi, Varun Gandhi and Shatrughan Sinha also did not attend the Goa conclave.

Array

Array

Modi's detractors fear that his elevation as chief of the party's election committee is just one step away from him being declared the BJP's prime ministerial candidate.