The BJP’s star campaigner and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi appears to be reluctant to campaign in the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh.
While the polling for the first phase of elections in the state is not far away, the BJP election management cell is yet to receive any confirmation from Mr Modi to campaign in the state.
Sources disclosed one of the reasons for Mr Modi’s reluctance is his bête noire and BJP former general secretary (organisation) Sanjay Joshi, who is holding an important post in the UP’s election management and has been actively involved in the poll preparations.
Speculation is also rife that Mr Modi is miffed with the BJP top brass for remaining non-committal over his claim for the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate for 2014. Mr Modi had stayed away from the last BJP national executive meeting as he was miffed over BJP chief Nitin Gadkari’s decision to bring back Mr Joshi who had quit over a controversial CD. Sources disclosed the BJP’s UP unit has sent number of enquiries to the central party leaders to get confirmation of Mr Modi’s campaigning dates. “ ... yes, there is a lot of demand for Mr Modi (to campaign) in UP but every time we call his office, we get the same reply that he (Modi) is yet to give his nod to the dates (for campaigning),” said a senior party functionary who is part of the BJP’s election management committee.
While rest of the BJP CMs, including Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Prem Kumar Dhumal, Raman Singh and even Uttarakhand chief minister B.C. Khanduri, have given their consent and date of avilability for campaigning, Mr Modi’s consent is still awaited.
While the BJP top brass has been campaiging in other poll-bound states including Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa, BJP CMs will campaign in UP where the party is desperately trying to increase in numbers.
Sources disclosed as per the campaigning schedule, MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan will concentrate on Bundelkhand region.