BJP chief Rajnath Singh on LK Advani: He was unwell, I asked him to skip Goa meet today

Goa: The conflict within the BJP that has become its new normal is on display in Goa at a conclave where Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be announced the party's election chief.

Exhibit A: LK Advani, who heads a diaspora within the BJP against Mr Modi, has called in sick today. He will skip an important session of the 12 office-bearers of the party, but will reach Goa tomorrow.

The party says there's no reason to believe this telegraphs dissent. "Due to Advaniji's ill-health, I told him not to attend the meet today. He will reach Goa tomorrow,"  said BJP chief Rajnath Singh.

But Mr Advani's campaign to check Mr Modi's promotion has not been subtle. He suggested recently that Mr Modi's economic turnaround of Gujarat, brandished often by the chief minister, is over-rated. He also pitched for the BJP to create two election committees, rather than one, with Mr Modi and former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari as their captains.

That would have projected Mr Modi as one of the BJP's big names, rather than giving him top billing.

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It turned out to be a case of political over-reach, with Mr Gadkari refusing to entertain the notion. And then, on Wednesday, Mr Modi trounced his competition within and outside his party by winning six important by-elections in Gujarat, delivering constituencies that were with the Congress.

His detractors are finding it hard to counter that result.

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Uma Bharti, an important leader who is affiliated to Mr Advani, has said she is unwell and will skip the Goa session. The outspoken Yashwant Sinha said yesterday that decisions on the party's leadership should be taken by the 12 members of its parliamentary board, rather than the 300-members of national executive that are convening in Goa. And on that board are A-listers like Mr Advani and Sushma Swaraj, who are opposed to Mr Modi being projected as the BJP's foremost leader.