RSS leader raps Modi for anti-Gadkari campaign
13 Nov 2012 6:56 AM IST
The murmurs within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ever since the demand for party president Nitin Gadkari’s ouster was made came out in the open in a blog post by Rashtriya Swamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue M G Vaidya. The RSS veteran on Sunday suggested it was at the behest of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi that BJP MP Ram Jethmalani demanded Nitin Gadkari’s resignation.
‘Narendra Modi might have felt that Gadkari as the BJP president will hamper his chances of becoming the prime minister. He is using Jethmalani to fulfill his plans,’ alleged Vaidya in his blog. Stressing on his point that Narendra Modi is behind the vilification of Gadkari, Vaidya wrote: ‘The roots of the campaign against Nitin Gadkari have to be in Gujarat because Ram Jethmalani not only demanded Gadkari’s resignation, he also wanted Narendra Modi to be made the prime ministerial candidate of the party.’
Though RSS issued a statement saying the blog did not express the official line of the Sangh, Vaidya showed no remorse claiming, ‘I just said that needle of suspicion points at Modi. If Jethmalani is entitled to his point of view, I am also entitled to my point of view.’
Despite the clarification by the RSS, the blog sent the BJP leadership into a tumble as Gujarat assembly polls are just a few weeks away. The leadership fielded the assault on Modi with a statement from party president Gadkari. BJP president put out a statement saying: ‘The BJP completely rejects Vaidya’s blog as it is totally unfounded. All BJP chief ministers and leaders are working together. The BJP rejects such insinuation. The BJP is firmly behind Modi and will win in Gujarat elections.’
Vadiya was categorical in suggesting that Modi has strong prime ministerial ambitions. ‘LK Advani and Nitin Gadkari have already said they are not in the race, but Narendra Modi has been silent on this issue,’ he said. Since the time Gadkari has faced allegations of financial irregularities, the party has been plagued with inner differences over giving a second term to the incumbent president.
The attack on Modi does not surprise many as the Gujarat chief minister has had an uneasy relationship with the RSS in his home state. RSS has gone public claiming that Modi does not consult them. ‘The message that the RSS wants to put across to Modi is that they know he is behind the attack on Gadkari and this blog has the backing of RSS leadership,’ said a Sangh insider. Modi had recently visited Nagpur to buy peace.
‘Narendra Modi might have felt that Gadkari as the BJP president will hamper his chances of becoming the prime minister. He is using Jethmalani to fulfill his plans,’ alleged Vaidya in his blog. Stressing on his point that Narendra Modi is behind the vilification of Gadkari, Vaidya wrote: ‘The roots of the campaign against Nitin Gadkari have to be in Gujarat because Ram Jethmalani not only demanded Gadkari’s resignation, he also wanted Narendra Modi to be made the prime ministerial candidate of the party.’
Though RSS issued a statement saying the blog did not express the official line of the Sangh, Vaidya showed no remorse claiming, ‘I just said that needle of suspicion points at Modi. If Jethmalani is entitled to his point of view, I am also entitled to my point of view.’
Despite the clarification by the RSS, the blog sent the BJP leadership into a tumble as Gujarat assembly polls are just a few weeks away. The leadership fielded the assault on Modi with a statement from party president Gadkari. BJP president put out a statement saying: ‘The BJP completely rejects Vaidya’s blog as it is totally unfounded. All BJP chief ministers and leaders are working together. The BJP rejects such insinuation. The BJP is firmly behind Modi and will win in Gujarat elections.’
Vadiya was categorical in suggesting that Modi has strong prime ministerial ambitions. ‘LK Advani and Nitin Gadkari have already said they are not in the race, but Narendra Modi has been silent on this issue,’ he said. Since the time Gadkari has faced allegations of financial irregularities, the party has been plagued with inner differences over giving a second term to the incumbent president.
The attack on Modi does not surprise many as the Gujarat chief minister has had an uneasy relationship with the RSS in his home state. RSS has gone public claiming that Modi does not consult them. ‘The message that the RSS wants to put across to Modi is that they know he is behind the attack on Gadkari and this blog has the backing of RSS leadership,’ said a Sangh insider. Modi had recently visited Nagpur to buy peace.
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