Festive mood at BJP headquarters

The mood was festive at the BJP headquarters here after Narendra Modi was anointed the party's prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 general polls Friday.

Several youngsters were seen dancing to the beats of drums and congratulating each other.

"We were sure that an announcement will be made today. We had already purchased sweets and crackers in anticipation of announcement of Modi's elevation," Ashok, a BJP worker, told IANS.

Hundreds of workers had started to gather at the party headquarters hours before party chief Rajnath Singh made the announcement amid blowing of conch shells and ringing of bells.

"Narendra Modi will be our prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 polls," said Rajnath Singh.

There was a jam on the Ashok Road on which the party office is located due to a heavy rush of vehicles both from the media, party leaders and workers.

Police had put up barricades near the party office to prevent traffic snarls.

Cutouts of Modi donned the place besides posters of senior leaders where the party workers garlanded him after the announcement amid chants of "Modi tum aagey badho" (Modi you move on).

While an excited worker remembered veteran leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani and was shouting "Atal-Advani zindabad" (Atal-Advani be victorious), he was soon asked by a colleague to add Modi's name to the chant.

"Atal-Advani-Modi zindabad," the worker said.

Significantly, Advani was not present when the parliamentary board took the crucial decision.

"Advaniji is our senior leader. Modiji has gone to seek his blessings," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters.

"This decision reflects the wishes of the people," he said.

After the decision, Modi was ensconced with senior party leaders inside the party office.

Several workers cheered the cavalcade as Modi left the party office for Advani's residence.