Modi likely to be elevated

Rajnath to consult senior leaders

It became apparent on the second day of the BJP conclave here that efforts are underway to elevate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to the party’s central leadership.

While party president Rajnath Singh lauded the Hindutva poster boy’s transformation into a successful, development-oriented politician, the BJP national council made way for including Modi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister  Shivraj Singh Chauhan into the party’s parliamentary board. Singh will consult senior leaders like L K Advani before starting the exercise. A decision is expected by the end of the month.

Besides, the national council empowered Singh to constitute fresh election and disciplinary committees. This is a routine exercise that every party president undergoes.

Singh showered encomiums on Modi for being the only BJP chief minister to have retained power for three successive terms. Chauhan and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh have achieved this feat twice. “Modi has made a hat trick. We were delighted to hear about his victory. We had never seen a BJP chief minister win three consecutive terms.

His development model has been lauded by all, even at the international forum. Be it the US or the European Union, all have praised his good governance,” Singh said. He walked the extra mile to garland the Gujarat chief minister and exhorted party members to give Modi a standing ovation. “It won’t be proper to welcome Modi with mere words. He deserves a good round of applause, a standing ovation,” Singh said.

Several party leaders like Yashwant Sinha had publicly rooted for Modi as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. Even RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had described him as a friend and an able administrator.

Other leaders also chimed in, with Delhi state president Vijay Goel saying that “it appears as if not Manmohan Singh but Modi is the prime minister. This is what even the children believe.”

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said while Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar had created records in cricket, Modi did the same in the field of agriculture since Gujarat has achieved 10 per cent growth in the last decade.

Many party members believe that the BJP’s poll prospects will be rejuvenated if Modi was projected as the prime ministerial candidate. However, such an action may cost the support of NDA partner JD(U). Even the Trinamool Congress in Bengal is likely to shy away from joining the NDA in that case. It may become difficult for the BJP to hold on to secular parties.

Singh also reached out to all senior leaders, including Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitely and Nitin Gadkari, and appealed to the people to bury their differences and come together.

The BJP probably believes that it can sway the 2014 elections in its favour, since Singh’s speech appeared to be a manifesto with references to several poll promises. Criticising the Centre for failing to contain terrorism, Singh assured the people that a strong anti-terror law will be enacted if the BJP comes to power.  The UPA government had repealed the draconian POTA, which was introduced in the NDA regime.

“If the government is so serious on the issue of terrorism that it wants to make an anti-terrorism institution like the proposed national counter terrorism centre, then why is it not keen on enacting an anti-terrorism law at the Centre,” Singh said.