In his first public rally after being named as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi mainly focused his speech on foreign policy, a fervent pitch for “strong leadership”, advice for “friends” in Pakistan and how “lessons in true secularism” can be learnt from the Indian Army.

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi said a solution to issues can only be found if there is “strong leadership” at the Centre with a person “leading from the front”. He attacked the “weak” policies of the UPA government towards its neighbours.

Amidst speculation that veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani and his protégé Sushma Swaraj, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, could quit their posts if the party declares Gujarat CM Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate ahead of the coming Assembly polls, party president Rajnath Singh appears determined to go ahead with the announcement, perhaps even on Friday or early next week.

The BJP’s so-called crusade against the Congress seemed to have hit a major hurdle as the outfit is plagued with trouble from within.

The BJP’s “crusade” against the Congress seems to have run into trouble within.

The Sangh Parivar has set the tone for the coming electoral battle, compelling its affiliate BJP’s adversaries to react on the VHP’s “84- kosi yatra” for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. While BJP claims that development and good governance are its poll planks, reviving Hindutva, it was learnt, is also part of the Parivar’s poll strategy.

The BJP is all set to “knock” at every household from next month as part of its invasive “Dastak” campaign, an idea devised by Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, the party’s campaign committee head.

Prior to giving final shape to its invasive “Dastak” poll campaign, the BJP studied various styles of campaigns, including US President Barack Obama’s, where it found that despite focusing on the social media battle, Mr Obama campaign team gave a lot of importance to the conventional campaigning style.

Gujarat chief minister and the BJP election campaign committee chief Narendra Modi’s poll mantra to party leaders at the crucial meet on Sunday was to meet the political aspirations of all sections of society, including Muslims, whom he feels are also looking for “political space”.

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s bid to position himself as the BJP’s PM candidate boomeranged yet again on Thursday, with severe criticism from within. Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani strongly objected to his criticising Dr Manmohan Singh on Independence Day.