The BJP's National Executive meeting started today with Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa not attending.
Though the BJP maintains Modi skipped the meet because of 'Navratri', a section claims the Gujarat chief minister has been upset ever since party elder L.K Advani moved his anti-corruption yatra from Gujarat to Bijar.
Downplaying the issue,the party maintained that since Modi does not travel outside the state during Navratri, he cannot attend the party programme.
Modi had reportedly even told Advani that the yatra is 'unnecessary and irrelevant', according to sources.
The programme was attended by all other Chief Ministers the BJP-ruled states including Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Prem Singh Dhumal, Raman Singh, Sadanand Gowda and Arjun Munda.
The programme started with the ceremonial lighting of lamp by Advani. BJP President Nitin Gadkari, both Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Sushama Swaraj and Arun Jaitely shared the dais with the Advani. During the two-day meet, Gadkari will discuss the programmes initiated by the party units in states and evolve a strategy to consolidate.
Jaitley will assess and apprise the delegates of the political situation in the country in the backdrop corruption issue and the latest controversy over 2G Spectrum.