Advani skips Goa meet; BJP in dilemma on naming Narendra Modi as campaign chief

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Panjim: BJP was in a dilemma on Saturday over anointing Narendra Modi as campaign committee chief for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in the absence of patriarch L.K. Advani and other senior leaders, who have not turned up for the ongoing National Executive meeting here as they are said to be opposed to such a move.
Ill health was cited as the reason for Advani's decision to keep away from the two-day meeting of the National Executive that began today with leaders clamouring for Modi's elevation as campaign head for the elections.
Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar had a difficult time when newspersons plied him with questions on the absence of Advani and other leaders and reservations of some other leaders over the proposal to elevate Modi.
"Wait till tomorrow....in BJP we don't take decisions without consensus at the top level," he told the media when asked whether a decision is expected to be taken by tomorrow when the Executive meeting would conclude.
Advani not attending the Executive meeting is perhaps the first time in the party's history that he has kept away from crucial deliberations.
Party leaders sought to play down the absence saying nothing much should be read into it or as if there were serious differences at the top level. However, sources said there is a possibility of senior leader Sushma Swaraj, considered close to Advani, and others raising objections to announcement about Modi's role in the absence of Advani. The RSS is now said to be of the view that the party should go ahead with the announcement without further delay. Leaders like Uma Bharti, Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha and Yogi Adityananth, also considered close to Advani, are also not attending the meeting.
Yashwant Sinha said in Delhi he is in good health. There was no no "namonia" affecting him but not going to Goa could be due to some other reasons, he said.
Next: Pro-Modi protesters demonstrate outside Advani's residence

Pro-Modi protesters demonstrate outside Advani's residence
New Delhi: As senior BJP leader L.K. Advani chose to skip the National Executive meet in Goa, a group of Narendra Modi supporters today staged a protest outside the residence of the party veteran for ‘opposing’ greater role for the Gujarat Chief Minister.
A handful of protesters holding a banner 'Narendra Modi's Army' shouted pro-Modi slogans outside Advani's 30-Prithviraj Road this afternoon.
Holding placards like 'Narendra Modi Zindabad' and 'Bring Modi as Prime Minister', the protesters demanded that Advani should step aside and allow Modi to assume a greater role.
"We have come here because we want Advani to step aside and let Modi come forward. Advani should have announced Modi's candidature for Prime Ministership in Goa but he did not do that," one of the protesters said.
Another protester said, "Our main demand is that Modi should be declared as the Prime Ministerial candidate. That's why we are protesting here."
85-year-old Advani chose to stay away from the Goa meet, perhaps for the first time in the party's history, apparently to express his opposition to making Modi the campaign committee chief, which will in effect present him as the face of the party for the next general elections.