Thursday, Sep 12, 2013
PATNA: Former Bihar deputy chief minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushil Kumar Modi yesterday launched a frontal attack on party veteran Lal Krishna Advani for opposing Narendra Modi’s candidature for country’s top job, suggesting the latter make way for the Gujarat chief minister. The attack comes amid continued efforts by the BJP top leadership to convince Advani to name Modi as its candidate for prime minister.
“Mr. Advaniji has failed to gauge the public mood. Mr. Advani himself declared Atalji (Atal Behari Vajpayee) as PM candidate. Now also, he could have done the same for Namo (Narendra Modi),” Modi “junior” tweeted Thursday. He also posted similar comments on social networking site, Facebook, late Wednesday night.
Taking further swipe at Advani, believed to his past mentor, the Modi junior hit out the brand of politics apparently being pursued by the BJP patriarch being naming him. “Politics is the only profession which people aspire till their last. Ministerial berth can resurrect a dead politician,” Modi tweeted further, in an indirect reference to Advani who is facing a stiff opposition from a large section of his party men for coming in the way of the Gujarat chief minister.
As his remarks elicited bitter reactions from the opposition, Modi got unexpected support from several colleagues who described his views as a manifestation of common sentiments.
“Modi’s remarks are in line with the general feelings and the party should go with the general sentiments of the common men,” commented former minister Giriraj Singh adding there should not be any brouhaha over it saying, “It’s the people who elect the PM, not the party.”
Last month, the Bihar State Working Committee of the party had passed a unanimous resolution demanding that Modi be named as the PM candidate without any delay. The resolution was passed at the end of the two-day state executive committee of the meeting held at Bodh Gaya, the scene of last month’s serial blasts triggered by the terrorists.
Here at the meeting too, the proposal was moved by Modi junior which was supported by all leaders by the voice vote. This is the first time that any state BJP units in the country has made a formal demand for declaring Modi as a PM nominee.
“Narendra Modi has emerged as the most powerful and popular leader in the country and is being considered as a natural choice for the top post. It will, thus, be a historical blunder if the sentiments of the common masses are not honoured,” read the resolution.
By Lata Rani Correspondent
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
