Endorsing Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as BJP’s prime ministerial candidate for the first time, party patriarch LK Advani on Wednesday said he would be happy to see him as the Prime Minister. A visibly placated Advani also lavished praise on Modi for the work done in Gujarat which had brought him accolades not only in the country but also abroad.
Advani, who represents Gandhinagar in the Lok Sabha, for the first time shared dais with Modi in the latter’s home turf Gujarat after 2011. Though the two BJP heavyweights had shared a public platform in Bhopal on 25 September for the first time after Modi’s anointment as party’s prime ministerial candidate, the warmth between them was missing. However, on Wednesday, both appeared more relaxed in each other’s company.
‘If we get the chance to form next government, we will be happy to see Narendrabhai as our Prime Minister,’ Advani said at an event here to mark the inauguration of Institute of Infrastructure, Technology, Research and Management.
The move surprised many as Advani had opposed Modi’s elevation tooth and nail and remained absent from party’s central parliamentary board meeting last month where Modi’s name was decided. Before that in June this year on election of Modi, his one-time protégé, as BJP’s election campaign committee chief, Advani had resigned from all party posts but later withdrew his resignation after RSS intervened.
‘When I came here, I asked an institute official if there is any other educational institution in the country where infrastructure is taught as a subject and the answer was no,’ Advani said commending Modi’s pursuit of novelty. ‘Narendrabhai is always thinking what new he can do, what new initiative he can
take,’ he said.
Advani, who represents Gandhinagar in the Lok Sabha, for the first time shared dais with Modi in the latter’s home turf Gujarat after 2011. Though the two BJP heavyweights had shared a public platform in Bhopal on 25 September for the first time after Modi’s anointment as party’s prime ministerial candidate, the warmth between them was missing. However, on Wednesday, both appeared more relaxed in each other’s company.
‘If we get the chance to form next government, we will be happy to see Narendrabhai as our Prime Minister,’ Advani said at an event here to mark the inauguration of Institute of Infrastructure, Technology, Research and Management.
The move surprised many as Advani had opposed Modi’s elevation tooth and nail and remained absent from party’s central parliamentary board meeting last month where Modi’s name was decided. Before that in June this year on election of Modi, his one-time protégé, as BJP’s election campaign committee chief, Advani had resigned from all party posts but later withdrew his resignation after RSS intervened.
‘When I came here, I asked an institute official if there is any other educational institution in the country where infrastructure is taught as a subject and the answer was no,’ Advani said commending Modi’s pursuit of novelty. ‘Narendrabhai is always thinking what new he can do, what new initiative he can
take,’ he said.