New Delhi:
Narendra Modi met RSS bosses in New Delhi on Thursday along with BJP chief Rajnath Singh and senior leader Arun Jaitley. His party, sources said, is all to name him its candidate for Prime Minister by September this year.
Mr Modi, who was recently elevated by the BJP as the party's campaign committee head for the 2014 elections, presided over a meeting of 20 campaign committees later in the evening. BJP president Rajnath Singh was present during the meeting, where the heads of these committees gave tips about progress in campaign and Mr Modi offered tips for improvement.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, which is BJP's ideological parent, has reportedly given an all-important no-objection certificate to Mr Modi's candidacy. Top RSS leaders held a six-hour-long strategy session with the BJP top brass where they discussed many issues ahead of the national elections which are months away.
Sources said that during the meeting, the RSS discussed issues related to organisational unity and to keep other top leaders on the same page so that a message goes down to the cadre that everyone is working in unity with Mr Modi as the campaign head for the national elections.
The party expects an official anointment of Mr Modi as the face of the party for 2014 to help it cash in on his popularity in the Assembly elections in five key states and an announcement is likely before those polls are notified, expected around September 21.
The BJP and RSS also reportedly reckon that general elections, due in May next year, are unlikely to be held before February and they want Mr Modi to get a six-month window to build his campaign.
A top BJP leader told NDTV, "This has to be done. The party cannot go to the polls with Modi only being the de-facto face of the party."
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who attended Thursday's marathon meeting in Delhi, has in the last few weeks worked hard at quelling opposition within the BJP to Mr Modi's big promotion.
On Wednesday, Yashwant Sinha, seen in the past as anti-Modi, said emphatically, "I am saying this with absolute certainty that Narendra Modi will be the country's next Prime Minister." The senior BJP leader's words underscore how party leaders are now accepting that Mr Modi will front the party in next year's elections.
LK Advani, who had staged a public protest against Mr Modi being elevated as the BJP's election campaign chief last month, has recently made speeches that demonstrate that acceptance.
Mr Bhagwat has assured Mr Advani and other seniors that they will continue to play an important role in the party, but has said there must be no more hurdles in the way of Mr Modi; who in turn has been advised to base his campaign on collective leadership.
The BJP's Team Modi 2014 reflects that 20 star-studded committees will manage different aspects of the party's election campaign under Mr Modi's stewardship.
Mr Modi, who was recently elevated by the BJP as the party's campaign committee head for the 2014 elections, presided over a meeting of 20 campaign committees later in the evening. BJP president Rajnath Singh was present during the meeting, where the heads of these committees gave tips about progress in campaign and Mr Modi offered tips for improvement.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, which is BJP's ideological parent, has reportedly given an all-important no-objection certificate to Mr Modi's candidacy. Top RSS leaders held a six-hour-long strategy session with the BJP top brass where they discussed many issues ahead of the national elections which are months away.
Sources said that during the meeting, the RSS discussed issues related to organisational unity and to keep other top leaders on the same page so that a message goes down to the cadre that everyone is working in unity with Mr Modi as the campaign head for the national elections.
The party expects an official anointment of Mr Modi as the face of the party for 2014 to help it cash in on his popularity in the Assembly elections in five key states and an announcement is likely before those polls are notified, expected around September 21.
The BJP and RSS also reportedly reckon that general elections, due in May next year, are unlikely to be held before February and they want Mr Modi to get a six-month window to build his campaign.
A top BJP leader told NDTV, "This has to be done. The party cannot go to the polls with Modi only being the de-facto face of the party."
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who attended Thursday's marathon meeting in Delhi, has in the last few weeks worked hard at quelling opposition within the BJP to Mr Modi's big promotion.
On Wednesday, Yashwant Sinha, seen in the past as anti-Modi, said emphatically, "I am saying this with absolute certainty that Narendra Modi will be the country's next Prime Minister." The senior BJP leader's words underscore how party leaders are now accepting that Mr Modi will front the party in next year's elections.
LK Advani, who had staged a public protest against Mr Modi being elevated as the BJP's election campaign chief last month, has recently made speeches that demonstrate that acceptance.
Mr Bhagwat has assured Mr Advani and other seniors that they will continue to play an important role in the party, but has said there must be no more hurdles in the way of Mr Modi; who in turn has been advised to base his campaign on collective leadership.
The BJP's Team Modi 2014 reflects that 20 star-studded committees will manage different aspects of the party's election campaign under Mr Modi's stewardship.
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