Narendra Modi's 2014 team: BJP heavy-hitters may get big roles today

New Delhi: Narendra Modi, armed with the blessings of the RSS and after consultation with party chief Rajnath Singh, is expected to hand out election campaign responsibilities to senior BJP leaders today. A meeting of the party's parliamentary board, made up of its top 12 leaders, is underway and an announcement on Team Modi 2014 could be made thereafter.

The BJP's ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS has reportedly asked Mr Modi, recently elevated to head the BJP's campaign, to take along all top party heavyweights in a show of collective leadership. A proposal is being considered to give top leaders charge of different zones in the country.

Sushma Swaraj, who is Leader Of Opposition in the Lok Sabha could be given charge of the eastern zone, while her counterpart in the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley could be assigned campaign responsibility for the western zone. Former party presidents Venkaiah Naidu and Nitin Gadkari could lead campaign activities in the south and north zones, the sources said.

The RSS has spent the last few weeks since Mr Modi's promotion in a major exercise to quell all opposition in the party to him as the pivot of the party's campaign for the next general elections. Firmly in the driver's seat, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is in Delhi today as the BJP parliamentary party meets in the capital.

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Mr Bhagwat, who had intervened to end senior leader LK Advani's public sulk over Mr Modi's promotion last month, has been working to a plan since. He heard out BJP seniors like Mr Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi at long meetings over lunch and then reportedly told the BJP chief that they must be given their due importance in the party's campaign, also making clear that no more opposition to Mr Modi would be brooked.

On Tuesday evening, Mr Bhagwat met Mr Modi over dinner. Sources said he signed off on Mr Modi's campaign plan, advised that it must reflect the Ayodhya Ram temple issue and also told the Gujarat Chief Minister to ensure that senior leaders in the party do not feel marginalised.

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Last evening, Mr Modi met Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley to discuss allocation of election duties and issues on which the BJP should take on the ruling Congress.