Mumbai:
A day after Narendra Modi's elevation as BJP's prime ministerial candidate for 2014 elections, party president Rajnath Singh has said the party patriarch LK Advani was never opposed to Mr Modi's appointment.
To NDTV's question at a press conference on the sidelines of a BJP event in Mumbai, Mr Singh, who was instrumental in Mr Modi's elevation despite strong reservations by Mr Advani, said, "He (Advani) didn't say that Modi should not be the candidate."
A statement that flies in the face of the strong dissent that Mr Advani made evident when he stayed away from the meeting of the BJP's Parliamentary Committee on Friday that put its stamp of approval on the elevation of the Gujarat Chief Minister, a development that further isolated Mr Advani within the party he nurtured for more than three decades.
In a letter released minutes after Mr Modi's anointment, Mr Advani expressed his disappointment over Rajnath Singh's style of functioning. "I had expressed my pain to you and I am disappointed with the way you are running the party," the letter said.
Today, BJP leaders, including Mr Singh, downplayed the fissures within the party by constantly reiterating that all is well in the party. "He is our guardian, our mentor, and he has every right to discipline us. But it doesn't mean there are issues in the family," Mr Singh said.
Mr Singh confirmed that both Mr Modi and Advani will share the dais at a party rally in Bhopal on September 25. "All the party leaders will be there," he said.
The BJP president denied that there was pressure from the RSS to nominate Mr Modi. "RSS has never dictated terms to us," he said.
Mr Singh seemed to be stumped with the question about who would now be the BJP's campaign chief. He sidestepped it saying a decision will be taken soon.
In June, Narendra Modi was made the chief of the BJP campaign committee at a meeting in Goa following which a sulking Mr Advani had resigned from all posts in the party. He was later placated.
To NDTV's question at a press conference on the sidelines of a BJP event in Mumbai, Mr Singh, who was instrumental in Mr Modi's elevation despite strong reservations by Mr Advani, said, "He (Advani) didn't say that Modi should not be the candidate."
A statement that flies in the face of the strong dissent that Mr Advani made evident when he stayed away from the meeting of the BJP's Parliamentary Committee on Friday that put its stamp of approval on the elevation of the Gujarat Chief Minister, a development that further isolated Mr Advani within the party he nurtured for more than three decades.
In a letter released minutes after Mr Modi's anointment, Mr Advani expressed his disappointment over Rajnath Singh's style of functioning. "I had expressed my pain to you and I am disappointed with the way you are running the party," the letter said.
Today, BJP leaders, including Mr Singh, downplayed the fissures within the party by constantly reiterating that all is well in the party. "He is our guardian, our mentor, and he has every right to discipline us. But it doesn't mean there are issues in the family," Mr Singh said.
Mr Singh confirmed that both Mr Modi and Advani will share the dais at a party rally in Bhopal on September 25. "All the party leaders will be there," he said.
The BJP president denied that there was pressure from the RSS to nominate Mr Modi. "RSS has never dictated terms to us," he said.
Mr Singh seemed to be stumped with the question about who would now be the BJP's campaign chief. He sidestepped it saying a decision will be taken soon.
In June, Narendra Modi was made the chief of the BJP campaign committee at a meeting in Goa following which a sulking Mr Advani had resigned from all posts in the party. He was later placated.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
