Missing Modi at BJP meet underlines rift over PM seat

The difference of opinion on the available choices for the top post came out in the open on the first day of the meeting where the BJP primarily sought to put  pressure on the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) by seeking a CBI probe against Home Minister P Chidambaram in the 2G spectrum distribution scam.

Modi’s absence, however, became too stark to escape the attention in the important two-day meeting.

While Gujarat BJP in-charge Balbir Punj said Modi was the best prime ministerial candidate, party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad felt that the party had several strong candidates.The BJP was not dependent on “one Yuvraj” (alluding to Rahul Gandhi of the Congress), he said.

The official explanation for Modi’s absence is that the BJP leader was observing a fast on account of “navratras.” Modi’s decision for not attending the meeting  is attributed, however, to his displeasure over L K Advani’s decision to shift the starting point of his proposed “yatra” from Gujarat to Bihar and its flagging off by Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said she was unaware of the reason for Modi’s absence. Former BJP president Murli Manohar Joshi said the question of Modi missing the meeting should be put to Modi himself.

Party MP Shatrughan struck a balance saying that Advani and Modi were both capable leaders.

Former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa also did not attend the meeting.
Advani’s “yatra” is seen by some within the party as an attempt to revitalise his image in the run-up to the 2014 general election.

The RSS has suggested that Advani should take himself off the prime ministerial contention, to keep the choice open to younger leaders. The BJP is now fully backing Advani’s “yatra” that will start on October 11 and conclude on November 20, after a travel through 18 states.

In his address earlier, party president Nitin Gadkari said Advani’s “yatra” was for good governance and clean politics.

“A leader with unblemished political career of over 50 years, Advaniji has all the moral authority to lead us in our struggle for good governance and clean politics. Through our ‘Jan Chetana Yatra,’ we will try to focus on multi-sectoral reforms,” Gadkari said. He cited the party’s resolve for establishing a strong Lokpal.