Narendra Modi, the one-man army who beat all odds to emerge the tallest leader in Gujarat, hasn’t even savoured his victory in the just-concluded assembly polls yet, and the talk of his future is creating waves?and discomfort for many in the BJP.
Second rung BJP leaders, who have the most to fear, have not been able to betray their emotions as they attempted to respond to Modi?s spectacular victory in a ?matter of fact? manner. The obvious option for now was to rally around in favour of party?s candidate for prime minister post LK Advani. BJP president Rajnath Singh had set the tone on Sunday, when he said that ??no one is above the party and discipline counts the most in his party??.
Along similar lines, Kalyan Singh, once BJP?s strong man in Uttar Pradesh and a member of the second rung leadership in the party, also said that ??no individual can win or lose a state election??. ??All the credit and discredit always goes to party and no individual is above party,?? he said adding that the next general elections will be held under the leadership of L K Advani.
Similarly, discounting any suggestions that Modi would immediately put any threat to Advani?s leadership, party?s women wing president Kiran Maheswari said, it?s just a media speculation. ??Modi replacing Advani during next general elections is just a media speculation. He (Advani) is fully capable of carrying forward the Hinduvta campaign.?? ??People of Gujarat have given a mandate to Modi to rule the state for the next five years while the party has decided that Advani would be the prime ministerial candidate for the next general election,?? she said.
On his party, Modi, at this juncture, certainly has the luxury of taking his own time to calculate his moves. For now, Modi made it clear that he was in no mood to rub the central leadership on the wrong side. ??Those who say Modi is bigger than the party do not know what the history of the BJP and Jan Sangh is. A son cannot ever be bigger than a mother??, he said on Monday.
Modi also attempted to extend the olive branch to his adversaries in the party when he said that ??it is the need of the hour that we show large-heartedness towards each and everyone.?? ??Some people may have failed to see the changing times and the turn of events. It is the demand of the time that we show large-heartedness towards each and everyone,?? Modi said after he was unanimously elected as BJP Legislature Party leader.
