Mumbai: A day after Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was anointed as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate and senior party leader LK Advani was conspicuous by his absence, party President Rajnath Singh said the party patriarch was not against Modi's candidature.
Rajnath said, "Advani has never told me that Modi should not be the prime ministerial candidate." The remarks came at a time when Advani has clearly opposed the decision and even skipped the BJP Parliamentary meet where Modi was anointed.
Rajanth said, "Advani is our leader, guardian and mentor. He has full right to voice his opinion." On the question of Advani being isolated, he said, "Advani is and will remain active, no question of 'isolation' arises." Advani had even conveyed to Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh that if the party goes ahead with the decision, he will then lose interest in working with the party.
When asked about Advani's letter where he has expressed his disappointment at the way the party is functioning, he said, "I do not have any right to reply to what Advani has said, he is our guardian."
Denying that there are differences within the party over Modi's elevation, he said, "LK Advani is our leader, mentor, guardian and he has got all the rights to admonish anyone, said Rajnath Singh.."
With NDA having lost several of its allies, Janata Dal United being the latest, the BJP chief said he would look for new partners but made it clear that existing ones would be taken into confidence before sewing up new alliances. "Our existing allies, including Shiv Sena and Shiromani Akali Dal, supported the decision on Modi. There is the possibility of new pre and post-poll alliances. But before we take a decision on that, our present allies will be taken into confidence," Singh said.
He was asked whether Raj Thackeray's MNS would be persuaded to join NDA. Raj Thackeray is considered close to Modi but his estrangement with cousin Uddhav, who heads Shiv Sena, continues. Any decision to bring MNS into NDA fold may not go down well with Shiv Sena.
The JD(U) broke its 17-year-old alliance with the BJP after Modi was elevated as the party poll chief in June this year. Advani also opposed the decision and had resigned from all the party posts but later resumed it.
On the question of pressure being put by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Modi's candidature, Rajnath said, "RSS has never put pressure on the BJP to take the decision." RSS was backing Modi's candidature also held a series of meeting with senior BJP leaders.
Rajanth also took a dig at the Congress and said the party should come out clear who will be its prime ministerial candidate. He said, "UPA has failed on all fronts. People want to get rid of the government. First time in the history we heard, that calls from the ruling party were being made to make Rahul Gandhi as the prime minister, even when there was a sitting Prime Minister.
(With additional inputs from PTI)
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