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Ramdev, Jethmalani pitch for Modi as PM
Vibha Sharma/TNS

New Delhi, July 11
Influential yoga guru Ramdev and maverick lawyer Ram Jethmalani, recently expelled by the BJP for “breach of discipline”, today backed party’s poster boy Narendra Modi for the post of Prime Minister.

The Gujarat CM is understood to be considering contesting the next Lok Sabha elections from home state Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. His candidature from UP is backed by the RSS, the BJP’s ideological fountainhead, sources said. The general opinion is that if the BJP wants to increase its footprint, particularly towards east UP and Bihar, Modi should contest from eastern UP, preferably Varanasi, a constituency presently represented by party veteran Murli Manohar Joshi.

Uttar Pradesh sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha and along with the 40 members who represent Bihar the area holds the key for any political party hoping to occupy the Treasury Benches in the Lok Sabha. Being an OBC, Modi also holds a high-value trump card in the caste-divided politics of the Hindi heartland.

The counter to this is an observation that Modi fighting from two constituencies may be advertised as his “lack of confidence” by adversaries such as the Congress. One viewpoint also is that Modi may concentrate on the election strategy and zero upon the constituency after the situation becomes clearer. For now, he is concentrating on strategising for the saffron party, which may not have yet named him as the PM candidate, but the spirited defence of the Gujarat CM by its leaders is telling.

Even though his political career has been mired by Godhra riots and alleged fake encounter cases that followed, Modi has earned the praise of both corporate India and the people of Gujarat for fast growth and clean governance in Gujarat.

As far as Ramdev is considered, Modi is the only person who can fight the “demons” of the Congress. “Only one man has the guts and willpower to fight all these demons that are currently in the Congress and that man is Narendra Modi,” said Ramdev, whose discourses at yoga shivirs are known to steer toward the politics of the country. It is said that some of his key supporters may now be accommodated by the saffron party; so it quite obvious that Ramdev may now spread his “support-Modi” message more effectively via the vast network he has built over the years.

Jethmalani also voiced his support for Modi. “I have always said this that it is in the interest of this country that Narendra Modi becomes Prime Minister. The reason for that is I believe he is the final solution to the country's problems,” he said.

The Gujarat, UP number game

• Narendra Modi is understood to be considering contesting the next Lok Sabha elections from his home state Gujarat as well as Uttar Pradesh
• His candidature from UP is learnt to have been backed by the RSS
• The general opinion is that if the BJP wants to increase its footprint, particularly towards east UP and Bihar, Modi should contest from eastern UP, preferably Varanasi, a constituency presently represented by Murli Manohar Joshi
• Uttar Pradesh sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha and along with the 40 members who represent Bihar the area holds the key for any political party hoping to occupy the Treasury Benches in the Lok Sabha

I have always said this that it is in the interest of this country that Narendra Modi becomes Prime Minister. The reason for that is I believe he is the final solution to the country's problems.
— Ram Jethmalani