New Delhi: Even as BJP put up 'Modi show' in poll-bound Delhi, party leader Ananth Kumar dropped a bombshell by saying party president Rajnath Singh has replaced party's PM candidate Narendra Modi as
New Delhi: Even as BJP put up 'Modi show' in poll-bound Delhi, party leader Ananth Kumar dropped a bombshell by saying party president Rajnath Singh has replaced party's PM candidate Narendra Modi as the as the party's election campaign committee chief. The post carries with it immense power as the head has the right to accept or reject candidates for the 2014 poll. That is quite surprising as it has come days after Modi was anointed the BJP's PM candidate. Moreover, it was Rajnath Singh, who had struggled to bring in consensus on Modi's choice. BJP senior leader L K Advani, who had opposed Modi being made the election chief, had reluctantly accepted the party's PM candidate. The reason for the new development on BJP replacing Modi with Singh is not clear. On June 9, the Bharatiya Janata Party anointed Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as Chairman of its Election Campaign Committee for the 2014 polls, a move considered just short of making him the party’s prime ministerial candidate. “I want to give you a significant information I have announced (at the National Executive) Narendra Modi as Chairman of the BJP Election Campaign Committee, keeping in mind the challenge of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and to achieve victory in the polls,” party President Rajnath Singh told the media at the conclusion of its 2-day deliberations anPanjim. The announcement was made in a brief statement by Singh who was flanked by Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, former President M Venkaiah Naidu, General Secretary Ananth Kumar among others. No questions were taken at the media interaction. “Whatever has happened has happened on the basis of consensus,” Singh said without elaborating. The decision to appoint 63-year-old Modi came against the backdrop of senior BJP leader LK Advani not attending the National Executive, who is said to be strongly opposed to the elevation of Modi. After Singh’s announcement, Modi wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter: “Spoke to Advaniji on the phone. He gave me his blessings. Honoured and extremely grateful to receive his blessings.”
