Amit Shah meets Advani

BJP President Amit Shah on Monday met L.K. Advani, four days after the party veteran appeared to take a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership by saying that the party never viewed its political foes as "anti-national".

Shah drove to the residence of Advani, who has been virtually sidelined in the party. It was not immediately known what transpired at the meeting.

The meeting comes after Advani, who has been denied ticket from the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, wrote a blog saying the BJP has never considered its political opponents as "enemies" or "anti-nationals".

"The essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression. Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries.

"Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as 'anti-national'," Advani said.

The comments were seen as a message by Advani to the Modi leadership which has been alleging that those raising questions over the Balakot air strike in Pakistan were working against national interests.

Amit Shah is now contesting from Gandhinagar, a constituency Advani has represented in the Lok Sabha since 1991.

--IANS

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