BJP in dilemma on naming Modi as campaign chief

Advani, other senior leaders have not turned up for the ongoing National Executive meet as they are said to be opposed to making Modi campaign committee chief

BJP was in a dilemma today over anointing Narendra Modi as campaign committee chief for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in the absence of patriarch L K Advani and other senior leaders, who have not turned up for the ongoing National Executive meeting here as they are said to be opposed to such a move.

Ill health was cited as the reason for Advani's decision to keep away from the two-day meeting of the National Executive that began today, with leaders clamouring for Modi's elevation as campaign head for the elections.

Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar had a difficult time when newspersons plied him with questions on the absence of Advani and other leaders and reservations of some other leaders over the proposal to elevate Modi.

"Wait till tomorrow....In BJP we don't take decisions without consensus at the top level," he told the media when asked whether a decision is expected to be taken by tomorrow when the Executive meeting would conclude.

Advani not attending the Executive meeting is perhaps the first time in the party's history that he has kept away from crucial deliberations.

Party leaders sought to play down the absence, saying nothing much should be read into it or as if there were serious differences at the top level.

However, sources said there is a possibility of senior leader Sushma Swaraj, considered close to Advani, and others raising objections to announcement about Modi's role in the absence of Advani.

The RSS is now said to be of the view that the party should go ahead with the announcement without further delay.

Leaders like Uma Bharti, Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha and Yogi Adityananth, also considered close to Advani, are also not attending the meeting.

Yashwant Sinha said in Delhi he is in good health. There was no no "namonia" affecting him but not going to Goa could be due to some other reasons, he said.

Soon after the two-day conclave kicked off, the party gave signals that there could be some decision by tomorrow with BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar saying the participants will go back "with new energy, new confidence and new enthusiasm".

However, he was evasive when asked repeatedly whether this statement meant that a bigger role for Modi will be announced.

"Wait till tomorrow," he kept saying.

Another leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who is also the Vice President, said the party is going to make a "major announcement" in Goa that will strengthen the organisation and project it as an alternative to the UPA government.

He was responding to a question on whether Modi will be appointed the campaign committee head at the conclave.

Regarding absence of other members like Uma Bharati and Yashwant Sinha, he said they must have informed the party president.

"There is nothing like whip in the party national executive which can force the members to come," he commented.

Asked whether a big decision can be taken without Advani's presence, Javadekar said the senior leader had conveyed his "blessings" for the meet as he was unable to attend due to ill-health.

At the same time, he said, "No decision is taken in our party without everybody's consent."

Sources said the party is keen to make the announcement about Modi at the National Executive and the RSS has given its go-ahead to it.

"Whether Advani is there at the meeting or not, the announcement about Modi is likely," at least two senior party leaders said.