After BJP chief Nitin Gadkari and the RSS top brass conveyed their displeasure to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi for not campaigning in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh, Mr Modi has contacted some of the central leaders trying to give clarification. However, both the RSS and Mr Gadkari told the chief minister that he should put behind his differences and think of the party’s interest.
Sources disclosed Mr Modi had telephonic conversations with some of the senior BJP leaders, including Mr Gadkari, BJP parliamentary party chairman L.K. Advani and former party chief Rajnath Singh explaining his inability to campaign. However, the Central leaders, sources said, insisted that he should campaign.
Mr Modi is reluctant to campaign as his bête noire and former BJP general secretary (organisation) Sanjay Joshi is holding an important position in the state election committee of the party. Even the Central election management committee of the party has now stopped sending campaigning requests to Mr Modi, who has skipped campaigning for four phases of polling in the state. The fourth phase of the seven-phased polls is scheduled for Sunday. Mr Modi, considered as one of the most sought after star campaigners of the BJP, had also skipped campaigning in Uttarakhand and Punjab, which are awaiting Assembly poll results.
When asked whether Mr Modi will campaign in UP, where polling for the fourth phase is scheduled for Sunday, BJP general secretary J.P. Nadda said, “Yes, he will campaign.” He however, did not reply to queries as when Mr Modi will start his campaigning trail.
It could be recalled that Mr Modi had stayed away from the last national executive meeting of the party where Mr Joshi was also present. Speculation are that Mr Modi is also miffed with his party leadership for remaining non-committal over his claim for BJP’s prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 general polls.