Ahmedabad:
In what is being viewed as fissures in the top brass of the Bharatiya Janata Patry (BJP), Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has told the party high command that he is not in a position to campaign for the Uttar Pradesh elections at least till February 12. Mr Modi says he is busy with his
Sadhbhavana mission programme.
Sources however say Mr Modi is miffed with the return of Sanjay Joshi, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader, to the BJP and the big role he is playing in the party's campaign in Uttar Pradesh. Mr Joshi is Mr Modi's bete noir.
Playing down the issue, senior BJP leader LK Advani today said there were no differences within the party with regard to the election campaign in Uttar Pradesh.
"There are no differences within the party with regard to the election campaign in Uttar Pradesh. Everybody is going (there) as per own convenience," Mr Advani said. "We have many campaigners. And we are optimistic about it (campaign)," he added.
Mr Modi had also stayed away from the last BJP National Executive because he was reportedly sulking over BJP president Nitin Gadkari's decision to bring back Mr Joshi into the party. He was also said to be unhappy with senior leader LK Advani for kicking off his anti-corruption yatra from Bihar instead of Gujarat.
Earlier, Mr Modi had conspicuously stayed away from campaigning for his party in Uttarakhand and Punjab. Assembly elections were held in both the states yesterday.
Mr Modi, dubbed by some in BJP as the next prime ministerial candidate, was supposed to be one of the main campaigners in the five states where the assembly polls are being held.
(
With PTI Inputs)