Women from all communities tie rakhis on Modi's wrist

Gujarat Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi reached out to the minorities on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. Women and girls from all communities tied rakhis on Modi's wrist. Politics was also not far behind as Modi took the opportunity to hit out at the Centre's security policy in the wake of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, saying the government had failed to protect its soldiers.

"How do we expect our soldiers to protect us if they cannot be saved against brutal attacks from Pakistan and China? This Raksha Bandhan, we must reflect on the security of Mother India," Modi said.

Modi attacks Congress; praises Jaya and Naidu

Gujarat Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi launched the Bharatiya Janata Party's election campaign in south India by reaching out to the Telugu Desam Party for an alliance as he appealed to all non-Congress parties to come together to put an end to "dynastic rule" of the Congress in India. Invoking the legacy of TDP founder Mr. NT Rama Rao, the veteran leader addressing his first rally as BJP's chief poll campaign manager, said the TDP has a huge responsibility of fulfilling NTR's dreams.

He said that, he is in Andhra Pradesh and want to remember NTR. He gave fillip to anti-Congress politics. His dream was not just a prosperous Telugu state, but a liberated India. The best homage paid to him would be to unite non-Congress forces and liberate India from Congress rule.

It is up to the TDP to carry NTR's legacy forward. They have to realise their responsibility in this regard, he said to thunderous applause from the thousands, who had gathered at Hyderbad's Lal Bahadur Shastri stadium from early morning. The TDP was part of the BJP-led NDA alliance from 1998 to 2004, before the Chandrababu Naidu-led party severed ties following the defeat in Lok Sabha elections.

During his speech, Modi came down heavily on the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh for its failure to create jobs for the youth, and called upon the state government to emulate Jayalalithaa's Tamil Nadu as a role model in skill development.

He said, if you don't want to appreciate Gujarat model, it is fine. But look at how Jayalalithaa has created jobs through skill development in your neighboring state. Learn from her example, with some analysts describing it as an example of growing bonhomie between the AIADMK and the BJP leading up to next year's elections.

Attacking the Congress, Modi said hot anti-Congress winds were blowing across the country as people were fed up with growing corruption and misrule. He said, corruption has become all pervasive in the UPA rule. And people want to see good governance that can be achieved only by getting rid of the Congress. He added that, he’s confident that Andhra Pradesh's political parties will bring a non-Congress government and end this dynastic rule.

Praising his senior party colleague L K Advani's fight for bringing back money stashed in foreign banks, he lambasted the UPA government for its failure to act on it. He ridiculed the government's monitory policy, and said when India got freedom in 1947, one rupee was equal to one dollar, but now a dollar is equal to the age of the finance minister.

Chanting his pet mantra 'India First,' Modi said, if the BJP comes to power, the holy book of the government would be 'the Constitution of India'. However, coming with a mixed agenda and multiple issues, Modi looked to have let down the youth, with many saying that he highlighted the problems, but did not have any solution to offer.

While addressing the most sensitive issue of AP division, Modi resorted to woo both the regions of Telangana and Seemandhra, as the Congress had taken the sail out of the BJP winds by announcing formation of Telangana last month. His chants of 'Jai Telangana' and 'Jai Seemandhra' together failed to cut ice, many experts said at a time when the mood among Andhraties and people from Telangana are not at its best.

          He said, the Congress is not sincere on the issue. They say they would build a new capital for Seemandhra in 10 years' time. If they had been sincere, they would have started building the capital in 2004 when they committed Telangana. He added that for the BJP, Seemandhra was as important as Telangana. "And I hope both states will do even better than Gujarat," he said.

Slamming the Congress for creating rift between Telangana and Seemandhra, Modi said the ruling party had done great injustice to the state at the cost of its development.

"The Congress creating divide among people, as its policy is divisive," he lamented. And he prescribed development as the panacea for the problem. "Development is the only solution for all the problems and miseries," he said. He signed off by doing a Barack Obama as he chanted 'Yes We Can, Yes We Will Do" and asked the crowd to repeat.

Sushma Swaraj roars for 'Freedom from Congress'

With turban, posters of lions, Sushma Swaraj roars for 'Freedom from Congress'

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj , credited with being a powerful orator, used a party function in Delhi today to tell women from her party what she wants from them. Wearing a saffron turban and with a large poster of roaring lions in the background, she said, "We couldn't be part of the freedom struggle, we were born after 1947, but now be part of the freedom from Congress battle".

          She declared that, "The Rani of Jhansi fought to liberate India from the British. Today, we women will fight to liberate India from Congress".  Ms. Swaraj is among the opposition's big hitters, and is widely seen as someone whose chances at winning her party's prime ministerial nomination have been somewhat muted by the recent ascension of Narendra Modi from Gujarat to the national political landscape.

The 61-year-old is Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and is close to BJP veteran LK Advani, who resisted June's move to make Mr. Modi the leader in charge of the party's election campaign. Mr. Uddhav Thackeray, president of the Shiv Sena, which is one of the BJP's oldest ally, had said recently that his party would prefer to see Ms. Swaraj as the opposition's choice for presumptive prime minister.

Mr. Modi, who is in his fourth term as Gujarat Chief Minister, is accused by detractors of failing to do enough to stop the communal riots in 2002 which killed hundreds of Muslims in his state. He recently said that he is satisfied that his administration and he had expended their best efforts in trying to stop the violence.

His critics within the party - and allies like Mr. Thackeray -feel that the blot of the riots makes Mr. Modi an unviable partner for regional parties who lean on Muslim voters. Without them, the opposition coalition fronted by the BJP - the National Democratic Alliance or NDA - may find it tough to pose a muscular challenge to the incumbent coalition anchored by the Congress.

2013 Election Tracker Survey: Modi for PM?

See Also:-

2013 Election Tracker Survey (in General)

Narendra Modi's team 2014

BJP leader Mr. Ananth Kumar announced the list of campaign committees for the 2014 elections at the BJP Headquarters in New Delhi. All campaign committees will be steered by Narendra Modi. Here's a list of who gets what:

Goshna Patra committee (Manifesto committee)	Murali Manohar Joshi
Electronic campaign, print media campaign	Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Amit Shah & Dr. Sudhanshu Trivedi
Vishesh Sampark Kalyan committee (Which will connect the cadres)	Nitin Gadkari, CP Thakur, Dr, Jaykar Jain, Murdula Sinha, Kalraj Mishra, Kiran Maheshwari
North East Visheh Aabhiyaan (Special Campaign for Northeast)	SS Ahluwalia, Tapir Gaon, Padmanab Acharya, Kiran Rijju
Commission on legal matters and issues related to Election Commission	Satpal jain, Bhupendra Yadav
Information Communication Committee (From Twitter to Facebook to WhatsApp)	Piyush Goyal
Committee to connect with emerging voter population	Amit Shah, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Trivendra Rawat Pooja Mahajan
Pamphlets, booklets committee	Balbir Punj, Prabhat Jha, Vinay Shahastrabuddhe
Co-ordination for transport	Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Anil Jain

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We will shatter BJP: Congress

JD (U) & BJP divorced

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has snapped JD(U)’s 17-year-old partnership with BJP and sacked its 11 ministers from his Cabinet, seeking to consolidate his party’s appeal among Muslim voters by refusing to accept the elevation of his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi. Kumar, who blamed the “individual-centric” politics of BJP while pulling the plug said that his party could not “sell its soul and countenance the prospect of a polarising figure” as the leader of a coalition. BJP, on the other hand, appeared to have calculated that it had more to gain by projecting Modi than losing JD(U).

With the parting of ways, JD(U) will face a vote of confidence in a special session of the state assembly on June 19, although there is no threat to Kumar’s government as his 119-member party needs the support of just four members after BJP’s 91 members join the ranks of the Opposition.

Kumar has been wary of Modi’s perceived anti-Muslim image since the 2002 riots in Gujarat, prompting him to keep the Gujarat CM from campaigning for his party in Bihar in successive polls. JD(U)’s exit removes last hurdle for BJP’s prime ministerial face, Narendra Modi. But onus will be on Gujarat CM to compensate for losses from collapse of NDA in Bihar

Dismissing BJP’s claim of Modi’s growing popularity, Kumar said elections were not fought or won over Twitter and Facebook. “I have been seeing a new phenomenon — of Internet warriors muzzling dissenting voices,” he said, adding, “We cannot allow divisive politics to flourish.”

Even as BJP has not formally named its prime ministerial candidate, JD(U) has seen Modi’s recent anointment as the chief of his party’s campaign committee for the Lok

Sabha elections as a sign of his inevitable elevation. “After Goa, BJP has unveiled its script. And its choice was made clear as daylight,” said Kumar, referring to BJP’s national executive meet where Modi was named the head of the committee despite opposition from senior leader LK Advani.

BJP, hit back at Kumar, accusing him of betraying the mandate of the last assembly elections in the state. “NDA was given an impressive mandate by the people of Bihar. Did our party deviate from the common agreed programme? Nitish Kumar should resign,” said Sushil Kumar Modi, senior BJP leader and deputy chief minister in the coalition government.

BJP mollifies Advani, assures a say in selecting prime ministerial candidate

 Barely 36 hours after he resigned from all posts he occupied in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Lal Krishna Advani has snatched a tactical victory from the jaws of retirement. The biggest crisis in the BJP's history may have appeared to be no more than an extended sulk, but Advani stayed on top of the twists and turns of the resolution process to wring out important concessions from the party's parent organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), on the way the party is run. The interface between the BJP and RSS came out from behind the shadows as the crisis was resolved.

Advani has clipped the wings of the triumvirate that comprises BJP president Rajnath Singh, RSS pointperson in the BJP Suresh Soni, and BJP general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal. In the process Advani has refurbished somewhat his ties with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and his protege Nitin Gadkari, creating a counterbalancing axis of his own that also includes RSS general secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi.

Advani's greatest success-and the condition on which his return was predicated-was to make Gadkari and Bhaiyaji agree that they would keep him abreast of all decision making, a gamechanger that was then communicated to Rajnath. RSS chief Bhagwat, whose advice in late 2011 to Advani on making way for younger blood hasn't stopped resonating in the party, was also brought on board the new saffron order of things by Gadkari.

Advani also managed to restrict the influence of Narendra Modi, following his recent appointment as campaign committee chief, by reiterating the importance of the central election committee.

In an attempt to mollify the sulking patriarch, BJP president Rajnath Singh said: "Whenever he (Advani) raises any concerns related to the party, I will personally address them." Singh did deliver a subtle message to Advani, saying that he "had decided to abide by the decision of the parliamentary board (to take back his resignation)".

By extension, it meant that Advani will have to accept the party's decision to elevate Modi as the chairman of the election campaign committee. Even though Singh and the RSS spared no effort in imploring Advani to take back his resignation, they made it clear that the decision to appoint Modi as the campaign in-charge was irreversible.

          BJP vice-president Prabhat Jha told that, BJP have the utmost respect for Advaniji, but the national executive's decision also has to be respected. As a concession, the RSS and the party leadership have assured Advani that the decision on the BJP's prime ministerial candidate will be kept opend-ended.

They assured him that he would be consulted in detail when the time for the decision comes. Advani has also supposedly been assured of a dominant say in the distribution of tickets, through the central election committee.

Some believe this could be a way of keeping a subtle check on the influence of Narendra Modi. Unlike previous campaign committee chairmen like Pramod Mahajan (2004) and Arun Jaitley (2009), Modi is not just the campaign in-charge, he will also be the chief campaigner of the party. The deal between Advani and the party leadership was brokered by the RSS. RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat spoke to Advani. A critical role in bringing Advani to an agreement was played by RSS protege and former BJP president Nitin Gadkari. Gadkari arrived in Delhi early in the morning. He reached Advani's residence and stayed there throughout the day, until the deal was finally struck.

Another part of the agreement could be a modification in the manner in which RSS-BJP relations are being managed. One of Advani's demands were supposedly that the influence of RSS leader Suresh Soni be checked. This suits Gadkari and Bhagwat as well as Soni had played a critical role in nixing the former's second term as BJP president.

The main grouse which prompted Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) patriarch L.K. Advani to resign on Monday is the influence the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) continues to wield in party affairs but his desperate act, ironically, ended up reinforcing the RSS's power over the BJP.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat personally intervened in the matter, which compelled Advani to kiss and make up with BJP president Rajnath Singh. From here on, Rajnath Singh will have to take Advani on board viz major decisions. This was communicated by Bhagwat to Rajnath. However, Advani might have been able to achieve a subtle change in the manner in which RSS-BJP relations are being managed.

Party sources reveal that even though Advani has been engaged in a tug-of-war with the RSS, his antipathy is particularly focused on a faction of the organisation headed by Suresh Soni who is currently number three in the Sangh hierarchy.

It is believed that Advani's discontent has been amplified over the past three months as party affairs are being dominated by a troika of Soni, his protege Ram Lal who is the BJP's general secretary (organisation), and Rajnath Singh, who is also known to be close to Soni. This troika has played a crucial role in Narendra Modi's rise within the party in the past few months.

Soni is said to have played a critical role in scuttling Advani's proposal of including Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the parliamentary board, as he had an old axe to grind with him.

Sources said that an unsaid aspect of the 'peace deal' between Advani, the RSS and the party leadership, is that Soni's wings will be clipped. This can be seen from the crucial role played by not just Bhagwat, but also his protégé Nitin Gadkari and RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy, in brokering the deal.

This could involve a repeat of a formula prepared by Gadkari during his presidency, whereby RSS-BJP relations are managed not just by Soni, but by a collegium which comprises RSS Sarkaryavah Suresh 'Bhaiyaji' Joshi and Sah Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale, in addition to Soni.

This arrangement could also bring about a subtle rapproachment between Advani on one hand and Bhagwat and Gadkari on the other.

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For 2014, BJP bet on Narendra Modi

For 2014, BJP bets on Narendra Modi

Panaji once again turned out to be a key milestone in Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s political journey. He was appointed the chairman of BJP’s national campaign committee, widely seen as an almost inevitable precursor to being named the party’s PM candidate. Making the announcement at the end of a dramatic three-day conclave, media coverage of which was dominated by the absence of party patriarch LK Advani, BJP chief Rajnath Singh claimed the decision was unanimous.

“To prepare for the next election, I have appointed Gujarat CM Narendra Modi as the national campaign committee chief,” Singh told reporters. By the BJP chief ’s side was the entire top leadership, except Advani, whose absence had reinforced the fissures within the party on 62-year-old Modi’s elevation.

However, within minutes of the announcement that puts Modi at the helm of affairs in the party, the Gujarat CM tweeted that all was well. “Spoke to Advaniji on phone. He gave me his blessings. Am honoured and extremely grateful to receive his blessings.”

It was the staunch support of Advani that had enabled Modi to survive the fateful 2002 national executive meet at Goa, when the then prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee wanted him to quit in the aftermath of the Gujarat riots.

However, within minutes of the announcement that puts Modi at the helm of affairs in the party, the Gujarat CM tweeted that all was well. “Spoke to Advaniji on phone. He gave me his blessings. Am honoured and extremely grateful to receive his blessings.”

This was also the tone of his speech at the party meet and later while addressing party workers, in his first address after elevation. As he often does, Modi invoked Vajpayee’s name saying that under Rajnath Singh’s leadership the party will take forward the work started by the former prime minister. He also acknowledged that Goa has turned out lucky for him.

Modi expressed gratitude to party leaders for entrusting him the task of heading the party’s 2014 campaign management, saying they have enhanced his personality “removing my weaknesses and replacing them with strengths”. The public meeting was attended by the party chief, leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar and Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, among others.

Rajnath Singh expressed happiness with his decision to elevate Modi, saying he had no second thoughts about it. Jaitley said Singh had given a new direction to the politics of the country. “Decisiveness is the footprint of a true leader,” he said.

The BJP leader, while addressing the national executive, said though there were nine months left for the Lok Sabha elections, the party should prepare itself assuming it would be in three-four months. He said it was keeping this in mind that a campaign committee was being formed.

Parrikar said while the party was talking of “indecisiveness” of Congress, it should address the “indecisiveness” within itself. This triggered applause, indicating the pressure on the leadership for clarity on the leadership issue. Singh was under pressure from the party and RSS to make a formal announcement indicating that Modi would be BJP’s face for 2014 elections.

However, on Saturday night there were some last-minute parleys as several leaders were of the view that the announcement should not be made in Advani’s absence. There was speculation that BJP was weighing three options — making Modi the chief of a poll panel, deferring a formal announcement in Advani’s absence and anointing him the prime ministerial candidate immediately. Late in the night, after discussions with Advani, it was decided the party would stick to its script of announcing him the head of a campaign committee at the end of the national executive.

Related Links:-

After 36 hours of high drama, Advani withdrew his resignation

Tamil Nadu - ahead for 2014 elections: where DMK & AIADMK stands?

TAMIL NADU

AIADMK and DMK

Congress Isolated

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jayalalithaa may go with Modi;

Congress will be routed alone

“Theirs is a hand that can only betray”, said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in the State Assembly recently, attacking the Congress for slashing Tamil Nadu’s kerosene quota. Dumped by DMK over the issue of Sri Lankan Tamils, Congress is unlikely to win over Jayalalithaa who, after her crushing victory overt he DMK in the 2011 Assembly elections, is well positioned to win a majority of the State’s 39 Lok Sabha seats in the General Elections.

   

       The odds are loaded against the Congress. It may claim anywhere up to 10% of the vote share in the state, but this remains a claim, since it has not contested any poll without alliance partners since it lost power back in 1967.

          There may, however, be a ray of hope for Congress. Sources say DMK, which is the leading partner in the current Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) in the state, would not want to burn all bridges and lose out on the entire Congress vote bank however depleted that may be. DMK is on a weak wicket. Even if the Congress vote share is small, it maybe crucial in several constituencies for DMK and could have a bearing on the final alliance arithmetic.

          BJP and Narendra Modi are working out to reach Jayalalithaa. One regional leader who is not averse to Modi’s rise in national politics. She, in fact, attended Modi’s swearing-in as Chief Minister of Gujarat each time in 2002, 2007 and 2012. The two leaders share apersonal warmth and mutual admiration.

          However, Jayalalithaa does not want to risk a pre-poll tie-up with BJP for fear of losing the minority votes. Post-poll, though if there is one ally that Modi and BJP can be reasonably sure of winning over to NDA, it is the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

DMK: Current LS Seats: 18

Going solo quite likely They would like to win against AIADMK and be part of any government at the Centre. Going with the Congress might not yield a more effective number, but it might ensure less of a division of opposition votes

Alliance with Congress: Possible AIADMK, not Congress, is its main rival in Tamil Nadu

Alliance with BJP: Possible but unlikely Only 6% of the electorate in Tamil Nadu is Muslim. DMK has been in ND before UPA but the overt warmth between Narendra Modi and Jayalalithaa is likely to keep them away

State: Tamil Nadu

AIADMK: Current LS Seats: 09

Going solo Highly possible Given a chance, Jayalalithaa would like to sweep the state on her own, raising her tally from the current nine out of 39 seats, and then set for Delhi as the ‘queenmaker’. Her party may very well become the third largest in Parliament.

Alliance with Congress: Improbable Jayalalithaa wouldn’t want to be affected by anti-incumbency against UPA and the government’s stand on the Lankan Tamils issue.

Alliance with BJP: Possible and likely She doesn’t need them electorally but may tie up with them post-poll

State: Tamil Nadu

Related links:-

Article on Jayalalithaa

2014 General Elections: Political parties positions

Modi speech at Kolkata: to align with Mamata??

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi moved his road-show to Kolkata, where he addressed industrialists and  aligned himself with  Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, empathizing with her task to "fill the potholes created by the left in over 30 years of rule" and attacking the union government for discriminating against Bengal.  

His recent speeches, most of them televised, are being interpreted as a promotional tour to convince his party to let him run for Prime Minister, but in Kolkata, Mr. Modi said, "A politician may have the desire to be Prime Minister, but I am not a politician." His diplomacy was notable. He alerted the media that he would make no comparison of his government to Ms. Banerjee's.  

Mr. Modi's investment-friendly policies have made him a favourite with India Inc.  Ms. Banerjee is seen as anti-industry, owing largely to  her campaign against Tata Motors, which was forced to shut down its Nano factory in Singur in Begnal and relocate to Gujarat.

The BJP leader's sharpest jabs were reserved for the centre, which he rendered deftly and in quick succession, describing it as a "snowball melting in front of our eyes."  He also castigated the Congress-led UPA for undermining federalism and for discriminating against states where it is not in power, both issues which Ms. Banerjee has vented about repeatedly.

Mr. Modi has been working hard on nationalizing his brand since his re-election in December.  In a series of addresses to high-profile gatherings, he has been selling his model of development in Gujarat as the solution to India's economic slowdown.

The aggressive campaign is aimed at pitching him as the BJP's best candidate for prime minister.  The party has promoted him recently to posts that will give him a large say in plans for the national elections, but Mr. Modi has not yet been declared the BJP's presumptive candidate, despite the clamour of party workers.

Highlights of Mr. Modi's answers from the Q&A round:

·        You cannot put one state's model into another state. It needs modification, not Modi-fication.

·        In any foreign policy, we have to put our interests  first. Today, by and large, the relations with the world is based on trade and commerce. It is the age of global economy - and that is at the centre of all borders.

·        In any group, we are participants and never leaders - not even in SAARC. We can't even lead the smaller nations in our neighbourhood.

·        How do we make the youth of our country productive? - through skill development.

·        For example, the world needs teachers, nurses. We can develop the human resources and export teachers and nurses. We can add a new paradigm to economic development.

·        I told the PM the age of solar energy is coming. You must take initiative and start a Sun movement with other countries. But there was no proactive role.

·        (On being asked for suggestions for developing tourism in Bengal): This time I am in Bengal as a student and my priority is to learn. I know Bengalis are best tourists - and they are guests, who never trouble their hosts. I want Bengalis to come to Gujarat in greater numbers to Gujarat; See the lions of Gir and the Rann of Kutch on a moonlit night.

·        Politician may have a last wish but I don't. I am an apolitical person.

43 per cent of Indians back Modi as next Prime Minister, Rahul Gandhi second favourite: Survey

Forty-three per cent of Indians backed Narendra Modi as the leading choice for the next Prime Minister, according to an opinion poll by a market research agency. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi emerged as the second choice in the survey.

According to the poll conducted by Ipsos, the support for the Gujarat Chief Minister's candidature was higher among men than women. The support for Modi was strong in Lucknow, Bangalore and Chennai.

However, sentiment against Modi was high in Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai. Rahul had more support among women than men and he got strong support from Bangalore while there were voices against him in Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Delhi.

Congress reaction to Modi's attack

After a scathing attack by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Nehru-Gandhi family, the Congress hit back saying Mr. Modi was mistaken if he thought that he could attain the stature of a national leader.

          Union Minister Rajiv Shukla said that, the kind of language that Narendra Modi ji used does not behove any leader of national stature. I think he is yet not capable of attaining the stature of a national leader. By spending crores belonging to Gujarat for self-propaganda, if someone thinks that he has become a national leader, then he is mistaken.

Mr. Shukla accused Mr Modi of double-speak and took exception to his remarks against the Prime Minister. He added that, his speech is a bundle of lies. Today he is expressing liking for Pranab Mukherjee. If you had courage and conviction, than why did Modi ji not support Pranab Mukherjee (in the Presidential elections)? NDA partners Nitish Kumar and Shiv Sena had done so. Yesterday Pranab Mukherjee was not likeable, then you were praising Sangma. This is double-speak.

Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said, "Modi called us termite, he is a scorpion and a snake."

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had reminded the Gujarat Chief Minister about 'Raj Dharma' in the wake of the 2002 riots in the state. "AMNESIA Is it not true that Vajpayee ji reminded a certain CM about Raj Dharma in 02? What did Vajpayee attribute their 2004 defeat to?" Mr Tewari tweeted. Following the defeat of NDA in 2004 polls, Vajpayee had blamed that violence in Gujarat as one of the reasons that led to the electoral loss.

PM Manmohan Singh is night watchman - Narendra Modi

Manmohan Singh is a night watchman - Narendra Modi

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

Modi takes centrestage @ BJPmeet

The grand reception that Narendra Modi got at the BJP national council meeting in Delhi is seen as contrary to the view in certain sections of the party that it should go into the 2014 Lok Sabha polls without projecting anyone as its choice for PM. Many in the party also see it as a warning to those leaders who are opposed to Modi’s projection as the “shadow PM” ahead of the looming contest.

Modi too seemed to relish every bit of the loud adulation. Known for his ability to work the audience, he came to the front of the stage and walked the length from one end to the other with folded hands, soaking in the thunderous rooting. The confident smile looked like an acceptance speech—a clear indication of his willingness to play a role beyond the frontiers of his home state.

In the post-lunch session, Modi stood out for being the only one on the stage who had found time to change into different attire. Many in the party feel that the pressure building from the bottom for Modi will render the “to project him or not” debate irrelevant. They appeared vindicated as many of the participants freely declared their support for Modi as if the gag on any discussion on the leadership issue had ceased to exist.

PM Manmohan Singh is night watchman - Narendra Modi