Reactions from political parties over the anointment of Gujarat strongman Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate has been on predictable lines with the Congress denouncing him as a divisive leader and the BJP leaders and allies of the NDA endorsing their poster boy.
Mr Digvijay Singh of the Congress, even before the saffron party formally announced the anointment of Mr Modi said, “A person who, because of his personal ambitions, broke his own alliance and created a controversy in his own party can neither keep the nation united, nor the people will ever accept him.” He also asserted that his party was not fighting any individual but the ideology of spreading communalism.
Sounding indifferent to Mr Modi’s elevation Union minister and congress leader Kapil Sibal said that when we are in election mode then we will deal with all political parties.
Information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari said in a tweet that “A Nagpur-based shadowy cabal of unaccountable geriatric gentlemen in period attire can ram decisions down BJP’s throat and call it internal democracy.”
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley called the elevation of Mr Modi as an important moment for the party. “A very important moment as far as the BJP is concerned. Well before the elections, we have settled the leadership issue,” he said.
Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray expressed the hope that Mr Modi would revive Hindutva. “To defeat the UPA, we need change. Hope Narendra Modi revives Hindutva. Narendra Modi’a anointment is like a nectar after the Samudramanthan,” he said.
Shiromani Akali Dal termed the anointment as the right decision taken by the BJP. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, while congratulating Mr Modi, said people of the country are eager to topple the “directionless UPA government” led by Congress.
Terming the development as the internal matter of the BJP CPM’s Sitaram Yechury said that whether the people accept Mr Modi remains to be seen.
Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi also hailed the anointment of Mr Modi and thanked the national leadership of the party for honouring the sentiments of the people. He tweeted, “The BJP has honoured sentiments of the people of India by nominating Modi as the party’s PM candidate.
Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh exuded confidence that BJP would form the next government at the Centre. “I congratulate Narendra Modiji. NDA and BJP will form the government at the Centre under his leadership after the 2014 general elections”, he said in Raipur.
Rajasthan BJP president Vasundhara Raje welcomed the decision of the Parliamentary Board of her party. She said, “The decision taken in the parliamentary board meeting is welcomed, and has revitalised the party workers.”
The president of BJP West Bengal unit Rahul Sinha too welcomed the anointment of Mr Modi.