BJP in dilemma on naming Narendra Modi as campaign chief

PANJIM: BJP was in a dilemma today over anointing Narendra Modi as campaign committee chief for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in the absence of patriarch L K Advani and other senior leaders, who have not turned up for the ongoing National Executive meeting here as they are said to be opposed to such a move.

Ill health was cited as the reason for Advani's decision to keep away from the two-day meeting of the National Executive that began today with leaders clamouring for Modi's elevation as campaign head for the elections.

Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar had a difficult time when newspersons plied him with questions on the absence of Advani and other leaders and reservations of some other leaders over the proposal to elevate Modi.

"Wait till tomorrow....in BJP we don't take decisions without consensus at the top level," he told the media when asked whether a decision is expected to be taken by tomorrow when the Executive meeting would conclude.

Advani not attending the Executive meeting is perhaps the first time in the party's history that he has kept away from crucial deliberations.

Party leaders sought to play down the absence saying nothing much should be read into it or as if there were serious differences at the top level.

However, sources said there is a possibility of senior leader Sushma Swaraj, considered close to Advani, and others raising objections to announcement about Modi's role in the absence of Advani.

The RSS is now said to be of the view that the party should go ahead with the announcement without further delay.

Leaders like Uma Bharti, Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha and Yogi Adityananth, also considered close to Advani, are also not attending the meeting.

Yashwant Sinha said in Delhi he is in good health. There was no no "namonia" affecting him but not going to Goa could be due to some other reasons, he said.