Naming Modi As PM Candidate A Disaster, will Destroy Party's Prospects - Advani

LK Advani has reportedly told BJP president Rajnath Singh that fronting Narendra Modi as the party's candidate for prime minister will be a "disaster" and will "destroy the party's prospects" in the general elections next year.

Sources said he also told the BJP chief that if a parliamentary party board meeting is called to make the Modi-for-PM announcement, he will attend it and oppose the move, forcing Mr Singh to now consider bypassing the panel of the BJP's top 12 leaders and make the announcement any way.

Several attempts have been made by senior leaders to convince Mr Advani. Rajnath Singh drove over to Mr Advani's residence yesterday, but, sources said, he was warned by the 85-year-old leader during a half-hour chat that officially naming Mr Modi to lead the party would ensure that the BJP is "wrecked by a third defeat."

Nitin Gadkari flew back to Nagpur after meeting Mr Advani to inform the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS that the BJP veteran is refusing to budge from his anti-Modi position, one that is shared by other key party leaders like Sushma Swaraj and Murli Manohar Joshi.

Mr Singh is expected to meet Ms Swaraj on the matter today.

The RSS has told Rajnath Singh that there can be no more delay in making the Modi announcement and that he must figure out how to do it. Mr Singh has the option of talking individually to senior party leaders and naming Modi based on a majority decision. He can also request the RSS, which is the BJP's ideological mentor, for more time to build consensus around Mr Modi's candidacy to avoid a showdown at a parliamentary party board meet.

But the RSS wants Mr Modi's name announced before September 19, when an auspicious period on the Hindu calendar ends. Supporters of the Gujarat Chief Minister are pushing for an announcement before September 17, Mr Modi's 63rd birthday.

The anti-Modi coterie argues that a Modi announcement should be delayed till at least after the Assembly elections in five states in November. They are said to be gambling on Mr Modi's internal rival Shivraj Singh Chouhan posting a big third straight win in Madhya Pradesh in those elections to challenge the Gujarat Chief Minister's reputation of being the party's best match-winner.

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- Unknown Updated at: Thursday, September 12, 2013