Speaking on the last
day of the party's National Council meeting in New Delhi, Mr. Narendra Modi
tore into the Congress, especially the Nehru-Gandhi family and Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh, who he called a 'night watchman'. He said that, sacrificing national interest
for the interest of one family is the tradition of the Congress. He went
straight for the Congress' jugular by saying, they appointed a night watchman
by naming Manmohan Singh as prime minister...the prime minister is nothing but
a puppet of the Gandhi family.
He also said that, had
Pranab Mukherjee been prime minister, there would have been less destruction in
the country...Had Pranab been successful, what would have happened to the
family?, in more barbs directed at the Congress.
But the BJP leader,
while exhorting partymen to be battle-ready, sought to play down the issue of
who the party's prime ministerial candidate would be.
Mr. Modi said to
thunderous applause that, who is the person, or who is the candidate, it does
not matter in the BJP. The comment is significant in that the last few days
have seen a renewed clamour in the BJP for projecting the Gujarat Chief Minister
as the party's face for 2014. The sentiment was on full display on Day 2 of the
BJP conclave - when party president Rajnath Singh heaped praise on Mr. Modi,
referring to him as a "popular chief minister", even as senior party
leaders and other members gave the latter a standing ovation.
Mr. Modi also
attacked the Manmohan Singh-led government on the twin issues of inflation and
corruption. He said that, the country is sinking. The poor are under the burden
of price rise. We cannot even feel if there is a government at the Centre or
not.
He
added that, the BJP is with a mission and Congress is for commission,
referring to the numerous scams the Congress-led UPA government has been
battling.
The address by
Narendra Modi at the party conclave points towards a growing acceptance within
the BJP of his stature at the national level as also of being a top contender
from the party for the prime minister's post. But the BJP, despite the rise of
Mr. Modi or the clamour for him in the cadres, is far from naming him the prime
ministerial candidate.
Though the RSS backs
Mr. Modi, he has in the past defied the Sangh and displeased its affiliates
like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The RSS feels Mr. Modi should head the BJP's
2014 effort but should not remain unfettered. The Parivar is also worried that
if Mr. Modi's anointment is forced on the BJP, an all-out succession war could
start as other aspirants for the top job will trigger a factional war.
The BJP's crucial
allies, such as Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), too have made reservations
known on Mr. Modi's potential candidacy as Prime Minister, given the taint of
the Gujarat riots in 2002. But the chief
minister has, in the recent past, found support from several senior BJP
leaders, who publicly backed him for the country's top job.
With the record third
consecutive win in Gujarat , Mr. Modi has only
further been able to prove his naysayers wrong, cementing his place as arguably
the most popular leader of the BJP at present.
But the biggest
reason behind the hesitation is perhaps the BJP's assessment that though the
fortunes of the Congress are dipping, the BJP's graph hasn't risen in
proportion. Top leaders feel that if Mr. Modi is projected as the prime
ministerial candidate and the party fails to win numbers to form a government,
Mr. Modi's image as a political trump card may take a hit.
BJP president Rajnath
Singh and Mr. Modi met after the national council meeting and, discussed the
party's future strategy. Mr. Singh is expected to give Mr. Modi a special status
by nominating him to the party's top decision-making body soon. BJP chief
ministers are currently not members of the BJP's parliamentary board.
Sources said the
Sangh and the BJP will then decide Mr Modi's role. The consensus at the moment
is over declaring him as in-charge of the BJP's campaign for 2014. Which means
Mr Modi may turn the face of the BJP but has to pass the 2014 litmus test.
Reaction of Congress to Modi's remark
Reaction of Congress to Modi's remark
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