Narendra Modi to bring BJP back to power in 2014?

New Delhi: Bulldozing opposition from almost every quarter, Narendra Modi has finally been named the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate. Modi is, in fact, now the PM candidate of the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with the Shiv Sena and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) too endorsing his candidature. The NDA, at present, consists of BJP, SAD and Shiv Sena. While BJP leaders and cadre are celebrating, the big question on everyone’s mind is - can he catapult the party to victory in the all-important 2014 General Elections?
 While announcing Modi’s anointment on Friday, BJP leaders reposed their faith in him. And the man of the moment pledged to lead the BJP to victory in 2014. The BJP’s decision, expected since Modi was named the election campaign chief in June also against LK Advani's wishes, triggered a wave of euphoria in the main opposition party that has been out of power since stunningly losing the 2004 Lok Sabha battle. There were joyous scenes at the BJP headquarters as the 62-year-old Modi drove in to attend a meeting of the parliamentary board which decided to name him its general. More celebrations took place later too.
 BJP president Rajnath Singh made the formal announcement at a media conference, and Modi pledged to do everything to ensure that the BJP again got to rule the world's largest democracy. "I promise that in the 2014 election, the BJP will emerge victorious," said Modi, dressed in a lemon green buttoned-up traditional kurta, flanked by senior colleagues, the only absentee being former mentor Advani. "For this, the party will work hard and we will leave no stone unturned," said Modi after accepting sweets, bouquets and garlands.
 "I am sure people from Kashmir to Kanyakumari will vote for the (BJP)." The Friday announcement came after days of drama during which Rajnath Singh tried his best to persuade those who ranged against Modi to fall in line. He succeeded -- except in Advani's case. Advani not only stayed away from the parliamentary board meeting but wrote -- a la June -- a stinging letter to Rajnath Singh voicing displeasure over the latter's style of functioning -- an obvious reference to the way the party president goaded others to come on board the Modi decision. The BJP decision on Modi -- widely seen as a divisive figure despite enjoying mass support -- became public knowledge on Friday afternoon through Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray, who was one of the two key allies Rajnath Singh telephoned seeking their support.
 "The decision ... is in tune with the mood of the people," Thackeray said. Modi, who once sold tea in a railway station in Gujarat, said it was a matter of pride that the BJP had catapulted him -- despite his origin from "a humble family" -- as the prime ministerial candidate. In his four-minute speech in Hindi, Modi paid tributes to Vajpayee and Advani. In an attempt to buy peace, Modi later drove to Advani's residence but details of what they discussed were not available. "We have always announced prime ministerial candidates... Seeing the national mood, we have decided that Narendra Modi will be our PM candidate in the Lok Sabha election," Rajnath Singh said. The ruling Congress, meanwhile, spoke in different voices.
While spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury called it "an internal affair" of BJP, Law Minister Kapil Sibal was sarcastic: "If BJP wants to celebrate an early Diwali, let them." The Congress is unlikely to name a prime ministerial candidate though there is clamour within to pick Rahul Gandhi, the party vice president and son of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. (With IANS inputs)

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Anna Hazare writes to PM on Lokpal, to launch another fast

New Delhi: Accusing the government of "betraying" people on Lokpal Bill issue, activist Anna Hazare on Thursday said he would start another hunger strike before the Winter Session if immediate action is not taken for passage of the anti-corruption bill in Parliament. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Hazare demanded that he urge the President to convene a special session of Parliament to pass the Bill if his government wants to avoid the "blot" of turning back on its promises.
He accused the UPA government of "betraying" the trust of 1.2 billion Indians and said he would begin fast in Ramlila Maidan before the Winter Session to demand its passage. "I broke my fast (in Dec, 2011) believing in your assurance that your government would pass the Bill before the then Winter Session. One Session after another has come and gone and now another Winter Session is before us. The Bill has not been passed yet" the anti-corruption crusader wrote in his letter. "Had I been aware that your government would betray the country's 1.20 billion people, I would never have broken my fast," he told the PM.
It is clear that the UPA does not intend to table the Bill in Parliament, he alleged. It got so many Bills, including Land Acquisition Bill, Food Security Bill and Pension Bill, passed but not Lokpal Bill," he said. Anna Hazare writes to PM on Lokpal, to launch another fast After being passed in the Lok Sabha in December, 2011 the Bill was referred to a Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha, which is yet to submit its report. "After being passed in the Lok Sabha, the Bill has been pending in Rajya Sabha for close to two years. The only conclusion I can draw is that the delay is deliberate on the part of your government," Hazare said.
 He said he would go before people again and made an appeal that they should start an agitation similar to the one they did when he sat on fast on August 16, 2011. The subsequent popular agitation had forced the government to convene a special meet of Parliament which passed a resolution, agreeing with three of his crucial demands. Some of Hazare's key aides, including Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan, have split from him to form a political party as the veteran activist was against their move.

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Advani tells Rajnath he'll oppose Modi at BJP Parliamentary board meet

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party President Rajnath Singh seems to be finding it difficult to reach a consensus on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the party's Prime Ministerial candidate. Sources now say that party patriarch LK Advani has told Rajnath that unlike Goa, he will attend the Parliamentary board meeting and register his protest on nominating Modi. Sources say Rajnath is still keen on achieving consensus on Modi's nomination.
The RSS wants Modi nominated, but has left the decision on the process and timing of announcement to Rajnath, say sources. Sources say the Modi camp is insisting that the announcement be made either on Friday or on Monday. Rajnath Singh has said that an announcement will be made after discussions. Rajnath denied there is any split in the party on Modi. "No one in the party is upset. All are together. There is no problem in the party," Rajnath Singh said.
 Sources say Rajnath Singh is still keen on achieving consensus on Narendra Modi's nomination. Meanwhile, there has been a tweet war of sorts after BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi's tweet against senior leader LK Advani. Advani aide Sudheendra Kulkarni and BJP leader Subramanian Swamy have now argued against what Sushil Modi tweeted. "A socially polarising leader has polarised his own party. Can he run a smooth, stable and effective government at the Centre?
THINK SERIOUSLY," Kulkarni tweeted. "Advani was the favoured candidate for PM in 1996. But he chose then to make a sacrifice then. It is wrong to say PM aspiration is behind it," Swamy tweeted. All these reactions came after Sushil Modi tweeted, "Advaniji has failed to gauge the public mood. He himself declared Atalji as PM candidate. He could have done the same for Modi. Politics is the only profession in which people aspire till their last.
Ministerial berth can resurrect a dead politician." This comes as Advani remains adamant on his view that announcing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its PM candidate could polarise state assembly polls slated later this year.

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