Advani, several BJP leaders skip Goa meet as Modi mantra grows louder
The schism over pro and anti-Modi camps in the BJP grew wider and louder with senior most party leader LK Advani deciding to skip the opening day of the party’s national executive beginning today in Goa, where its expected that the ‘make Narendra Modi the official PM nominee’ is likely to get an official imprint.
The development has had the Congress taking a dig at the party,saying "Namonitis is spreading" in the party. "Namonitis virus is spreading in Goa and the party. Our advice to the chief minister is to take effective counter measures other wise it will affect tourism," Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary told reporters. Her comments came as several BJP leaders were reportedly skipping the Goa conclave and even 85-year-old Advani was not attending today's meeting of BJP office bearers there as he was "unwell". "Due to Modi, senior leaders of the BJP are falling sick," Congress leader Rashid Alvi remarked. "BJP should think what will happen to the country because of him. My full sympathies to those who are falling sick due to Modi."
Another party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed also took potshots at the BJP over the development, remarking "Modi group has chased away Advani group".While Advani will not be attending the office bearers meeting today, he is expected to be present at the party's national executive being held in the next two days. Modi's role in the next Lok Sabha elections is expected to be the dominant theme of the national executive, amid a strong demand from some sections in the party for declaring him the campaign committee head.
Several top BJP leaders are likely to skip the national executive. Vice-president Uma Bharti, general secretary Varun Gandhi, its deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Ravi ShankarPrasad, Jaswant Singh and Shatrughan Sinha are skipping the meeting. While Advani has cited ill-health as the reason for keeping away from the office-bearers meeting, most party leaders accept privately that his opposition to Modi is the real reason. BJP sources say Swaraj delayed the start of today's office-bearers' meeting here by more than an hour as she is said to be unhappy with the developments.
