Debate rages in BJP over Modi as PM candidate
In the midst of allegations and accusations against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on the 2002 communal carnage in the state, a debate is raging within the BJP to project him as the party’s prime ministerial candidate for the forthcoming general elections.
The RSS and a section of top BJP leaders, barring Ms Sushma Swaraj who herself nurses an ambition to be the party’s PM candidate, is backing Mr Modi to lead the BJP during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Despite allegations against him, some of the leaders feel that Mr Modi remains the only face in the party, who can bring in votes. Top party leaders like BJP chief Nitin Gadkari and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley are known Modi backers in the outfit.
With regard to the minorities turning against the BJP following Mr Modi’s projection, a senior party functionary asked: “Since when did minorities start voting for the BJP?”
He added: “Minorities, anyway, do not vote for the BJP, so we don’t take this into consideration in electoral politics.”
Incidentally, the BJP has three Muslim MPs in the party. While Mr Shahnawaz Hussain is the party MP from Bhagalpur Lok Sabha berth, both Mr Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Dr Najma Heptullah are from the Rajya Sabha. Mr Naqvi, who contested the last Lok Sabha polls from Muslim-dominated Rampur Lok Sabha berth, had lost the polls. A section of the party’s spin doctors felt that projecting Mr Modi as the saffron PM candidate “will consolidate Hindu vote bank.”
It was further argued that Mr Modi’s “strident approach against terrorism and his clean and progressive image would help BJP fight the Congress in general elections.” BJP strategists are of the opinion that the allegations being levelled against Mr Modi, “would in fact work in his favour.” With regard to allies’ reservations against projecting Mr Modi as the party’s PM candidate, the BJP spin doctors indicated that “in time all will fall in line”.
Sources disclosed that the process to project Mr Modi as the party’s PM candidate began when he was made to intervene during the national executive meet of the party in Bengaluru in 2008 on the issue of terrorism. This was the first major signal, as Mr Modi’s intervention was separately issued to the media.
“Modi comes out as an uncompromising leader, both on the issues relating to terrorism and economic development,” a senior party leader said.
For the Sangh Parivar, Mr Modi could be projected as the blend between “Vikas and Lauha Purush (development and iron man).”
Earlier, while former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was known as “Vikas Purush”, his deputy, Mr L.K. Advani, was the BJP’s Lauha Purush.
“Also, the BJP feels that EU and US rejecting visas to Modi, has gone in favour of the chief minister at the national level. Moreover, despite allegations, the country’s top corporates have hailed him as a dynamic and a visionary.
For BJP, its clear that Mr Modi remains the main crowd puller. In all the elections, including the ongoing Assembly elections, Mr Modi was made to tour all election-bound states.
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