Modi replaces Advani, officially

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has officially replaced LK Advani in the latest poster unveiled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the grand launch of its 2014 poll campaign, putting to rest speculation on the party's top star and Prime Ministerial face.

According to NDTV.com, the new BJP posters starring Modi are set to make a splash with the new slogan: 'Nayi Soch, Nayi Ummeed. (New thinking, new hope)'. The posters have reportedly been approved by the party's campaign panel.

The posters replace the BJP's old banners which had Advani's image with the slogan: 'Sushasan sankalp, Bhaajpaa hi vikalp (BJP is the only option for good governance)'.

The saffron party is likely to formally declare by August 15 that Modi will be the party's PM candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

As per the the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) plan, party chief Rajnath Singh will make the announcement in the presence of senior party leader Advani.

In 1995, keeping the imperatives of a coalition in mind, the Sangh’s leaders chose Atal Bihari Vajpayee over Advani.

In June, Modi was anointed the BJP’s campaign committee chief for the 2014 elections.

After Modi was appointed the poll panel cheif, the Sangh had cajoled senior leaders like MM Joshi and Jaswant Singh into working with him. Former finance minister Yashwant Sinha was forced to abandon his reservations about Modi by the party’s Jharkhand and Bihar leaders.