Advani skips crucial BJP meet even second day
GOANEWS & PTI, PANAJI | 08 June 2013 11:06 IST
Going against the claim of BJP national president Rajnath Singh, veteran leader L K Advani would not attend the BJP national executive meeting even on the second day, today.
Perhaps for the first time in the BJP's history since 1980, the BJP patriarch will not be attending the National Executive meet, that too when a crucial political strategy is being worked out to come back to power.
The sources added that Advani has cited health reasons to skip the meet.
The BJP leaders are now claiming that Advani would attend the meeting tomorrow, the last day of the three-day conclave.
Advani is reportedly opposed to the proposed elevation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the party's campaign committee head during the meet.
The BJP patriarch had also skipped the extended Parliamentary Board meet on Friday citing health reasons.
The Parliamentary Board was expected to come out with some kind of decision on Modi. However, sources later said that the party will take a decision on Modi on Sunday.
Advani's presence on the second day of the conclave on Sunday is also uncertain, with sources saying a decision will be made by the party patriarch on the day itself.
The role of Modi in the next general elections to be held in 2014 has divided BJP - with some pushing for him and others close to Advani opposing him.
Apparently to show opposition, leaders like Uma Bharti, Jaswant Singh and Yogi Adityananth are not attending the National Executive meeting.
The Congress, meanwhile, is leaving no stone unturned in poking fun at the party that seems to be undergoing a major leadership crisis.
In an interview to CNN-IBN, Union Minister Salman Khurshid said that the face-off between LK Advani and Narendra Modi resembled a soap opera and that he was enjoying it.
"I am quite enjoying how they are giving it to each other. It's quite a soap opera and I am quite enjoying it," he told CNN-IBN's Pallavi Ghosh.
