LK Advani praises Narendra Modi; expresses confidence that he'll live up to people's expectations

NEW DELHI: Senior BJP leader L K Advani today heaped praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing confidence that Modi will live up to people's expectations in a similar way he led the organisation to a stupendous electoral victory.

Advani, who was critical of Modi's elevation in the party before elections, has been effusive in his praise of the Gujarat leader after poll results and it was no different today as he praised the "miraculous" Lok Sabha victory under him.

"I am sure he (Modi) will fulfil people's expectations from the new government in a similar way he led the party and its campaign. Nobody expected that we will achieve such a miraculous victory," Advani said

The veteran leader was also fulsome in his praise for the new party president Amit Shah and congratulated him for holding the National Council meeting in a manner which was "unmatched" in its "scale, discipline and management".

Advani said he had been part of all national council meetings of the party since 1953 and what he had seen this time was "unprecedented".

He said he was pleased to hear the speeches of party leaders which lacked any trace of "arrogance" over its victory and showed a sense of accountability and responsibility.

Advani said the party will not be judged by how ministers work, but on how workers conduct themselves in public and deal with people.

He said he wanted only Modi to speak in the post-lunch session but party president Amit Shah insisted that he too should address the gathering.

Advani also recalled the contribution of Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Deen Dayal Upadhyay, then RSS Sarsanghchalak Golwalkar Guruji and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in shaping the future of BJP.

He said a series of discussions between Mukherjee and Guruji after the 1951 Kanpur session helped Jan Sangh and later the BJP evolve as "a party with a difference".

He said with its association with RSS, Bharatiya Jan Sangh came to be known not only as a political party but as a philosophy.