The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday went into another tailspin with senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue M.G. Vaidya accusing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the `needle of suspicion’ in the campaign against party chief Nitin Gadkari.
A fuming and fretting BJP struck back saying Vaidya’s comments, echoed in his blog, were his personal views and not that of the RSS.
Speaking to newsmen in Chennai, BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu almost slammed Vaidya and wondered form where he got such ideas and viewpoints.
The RSS has also distanced itself from Vaidya’s comments.
However, Vaidya has stood by his views.
Vaidya had said in a blog entry Sunday: "The roots of the campaign against Nitin Gadkari have to be in Gujarat because when Ram Jethmalani demanded Gadkari's resignation, he also demanded that Narendra Modi be made the prime ministerial candidate of the party."
On Monday, as the controversy grew, he explained: "And because Jethmalani has combined the two things in one statement, demanding Nitin Gadkari's resignation and making Narendra Modi as PM, I said that the needle of suspicion goes to Gujarat. I only said needle of suspicion goes towards Modi, and that there is a suspicion. And if Jethmalani is entitled to his own point of view, I also am entitled to my own point of view."
In an English translation of the Marathi blog, he had also written that "Modi himself seems to have strong prime ministerial ambitions because L.K. Advani and Nitin Gadkari have already said that they are not in the race for the PM. But Narendra Modi has still not said anything on this issue".
"Narendra Modi might have felt that Gadkari as the BJP president will hamper his chances of becoming the prime minster. He is using Jethmalani to fulfil his plans," the senior RSS leader alleged.
He also criticised Jethmalani for his open revolt against Gadkari, saying: "Ram Jethmalani should not have expressed his displeasure against Nitin Gadkari publicly. Any BJP member or MP can feel that Nitin Gadkari should resign, but they should raise this issue on the party platform."
Gadkari has been under attack for alleged financial impropriety in connection with his Purti Group. BJP leader Mahesh Jethmalani, also Ram Jethmalani's son, quit the party national executive last week protesting Gadkari's continuation in office in the wake of allegations against him.