JUNE 11- The split is wide open in the BJP. According to sources, the Advani camp has voiced its protest in the parliamentary board meeting over what they say is the undue haste shown in elevating Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to head the party’s campaign committee.
The leaders who voiced their opposition include Sushma Swaraj, Ananth Kumar and Venkaiah Naidu.
These are the same three leaders who had said in Goa that the party should hold back Modi’s elevation and make the announcement only in Advani’s presence.
Uma Bharti and Nitin Gadkari will be meeting Advani on Tuesday in Delhi. Some BJP chief ministers are also likely to fly down to Delhi to meet Advani over the next two days.
Sources in the party say these leaders have offered to set up a second campaign committee which was Advani’s original demand. However, the patriarch is showing no signs of coming around.
Meanwhile, the divide within the BJP is out on the streets. Some mysterious posters have appeared in several parts of Lutyens’ zone in Delhi, quoting text of Advani’s resignation letter.
Earlier, several party leaders on Monday huddled BJP veteran L.K. Advani’s residence to persuade him to withdraw his resignation from various party posts even as BJP president Rajnath Singh refused to accept Advani’s resignation.
Minutes after Advani handed over his resignation to Rajnath, the latter replied to his resignation letter stating that he was rejecting it.
