M A I N   N E W S

BJP says UPA in suicidal mode, sees early LS poll
Tells partymen at National Executive meeting to be prepared
Faraz Ahmad
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 1
The BJP today sent a subtle appeal to its recalcitrant leaders like Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa to help project the BJP as a clean, united house, if they hoped to return to power in mid-term polls, a near certainty in BJP’s perception.

Notwithstanding all pretensions that everything is fine in the BJP, the party took a serious note of Modi and Yeddyurappa’s boycott and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank sulk and the damage it caused to BJP efforts to project the Congress and UPA government as a corrupt divided house with no credibility.

Thus, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, senior leader LK Advani and even BJP president Nitin Gadkari separately buttressed this point in their respective speeches on the concluding day of the national executive today, all the while dangling the carrot of early elections and a hope to return to power to persuade dissidents to fall in line.

Briefing newsmen later, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley reiterated what Sushma had said, “We have to learn from the Congress’ mistakes and present the image of a clean united, incorruptible party as a widely acceptable and credible alternative. The people are looking up to the BJP and the party must prove its worth.”

In his valedictory address, Advani too emphasised the need to prepare for early elections saying, "This government is in a suicidal mode. We do not need to disturb it. It is full of corruption and does not deserve to be in office. We must gear up as you never know what is in the offing."

Similarly, Jaitley and Gadkari talked of the need to bring in more political parties on board to expand the NDA subtly discounting the projection of Modi as prime ministerial candidate.

When asked if Sushma was hinting at the rift between Modi and Advani, Jaitley denied it. "She was emphasising on unity. There are no issues between Modi and Advani. Saying that the party should have a clean image and stay together is a very natural thing. Most of our leaders have spoken about it and rightly so. It is wrong to see this differently," Jaitley said.

However for all the apparent efforts to brush it under the carpet, the rift between Modi and top BJP leaders is out in the open with Modi apologist Balbir Punj pronouncing Modi as the best prime ministerial candidate.