L.K. Advani, BJP’s senior-most leader, was not opposed to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s name as prime ministerial candidate, but wanted the announcement to be made after elections in four states, former BJP president Venkaiah Naidu claimed. He also praised Mr Modi and stated that Congress has no suitable person for the Prime Minister’s post.
“Advaniji wanted the announcement on Mr Modi’s elevation to be made after the Assembly elections in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Mizoram. But, as a democratic party, the decision was taken after a consensus was reached,” Mr Naidu told reporters on Saturday at the Vasant Smruti Bhavan in Dadar (east).
With Mr Advani’s letter of dissent the internal differences within the party had come to fore. It is believed that the BJP veteran was not in favour of the Gujarat chief minister’s name for the PM’s post. The party’s national president Rajnath Singh too admitted the discord on Friday in Mumbai saying that it is an internal matter of the party.
Coming down heavily on the Congress, Mr Naidu said that they have no suitable person for the PM’s post. “The Congress have no appropriate leader for the top job right now. We also faced the same situation during the Jan Sangh days. They (Congress) used to say they have Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and ask us who do you have,” he said. The Bhartiya Jan Sangh (BJS) was the political outfit of the RSS, which was later merged into the Janta Party.
Talking about Mr Modi, the BJP leader praised him calling him a ‘3D leader’. “Narendra Modi is 3D — decisive, dynamic and development-oriented and Gujarat is the appropriate example to prove this,” Mr Naidu said.
“After Mr Modi was declared the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, we had an electrifying effect not only in the party, but across the country. Everybody is happy. It was a timely decision by the party,” he added.