Leadership issue in BJP remains unsolved

 The Supreme Court’s decision on Monday not to pass an order on Modi’s alleged role in the 2002 riot case further added fuel to the fire to the leadership issue in the party.

Advani, who has brought himself in the focus by announcing yet another cross-country yatra, was asked here  about Modi’s prime ministerial candidature after the Supreme Court’s “relief” to him.

Advani, who has not ruled out himself for the prime ministership, skirted the query while heaping praise on Modi as a “model” chief minister.

Interestingly, two other senior leaders — Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitely — had in the last week also evaded questions on Advani fancing himself as prime ministerial candidate by launching a yatra at an advanced age. Both the leaders refused to see any link between the BJP veteran’s country-wide yatra (with anti-corruption agenda) and his attempt to give the top post one last shot.

On Monday when Jaitley was asked about the possibility of Modi shifting to Delhi and projecting himself for the top job, he shot back saying: “Please, leave some issues to be decided by the party and Modi himself.”

In the entire debate, youngest BJP president Nitin Gadkari, who took over the baton from Rajnath Singh in 2010, has not figured prominently. Hand-picked by the RSS after it rejected the claims of Jaitley, Swaraj, Venkaiah Naidu, Ananth Kumar, Bal Apte and others, Gadkari was to seal the leadership issue with Advani “gradually fading out.”

With Advani now refusing to retreat to the background and Modi waiting for court cases to clear the taint, the leadership issue has not settled in the BJP.