AUG. 1- The BJP is all set to elevate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to another level at the party meet on Thursday in New Delhi.
According to party sources, Modi will be formally anointed as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls soon.
The decision on the timing of the announcement will be taken during a key meeting between the RSS and the BJP on Thursday.
Sources revealed that the BJP wants to make the announcement before the notification of the Assembly polls.
It is learnt that by the end of August, the party aims to reconcile differences over the Gujarat chief minister’s appointment. Though early polls are not on the cards, the BJP still wants to give enough time to Modi to campaign as its candidate for the top job.
Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar will also attend the crucial RSS-BJP meet on Thursday.
However, the absence of senior party leaders L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi gives rise to the speculation over their alleged unease with Narendra Modi. The poll strategy for the 2014 polls will also be deliberated upon in the meet.
Modi was recently elevated as BJP’s election campaign committee chief.
Varanasi on Modi campaign plan
The temple town of Varanasi features high on Narendra Modi’s campaign plan. Sources suggest that Modi will be addressing party cadres in the saffron bastion soon.
Reports also suggest that Modi might dump his home state in favour of Varanasi which is considered a safe bet due to its majority Hindu population.
Modi might opt to contest from the city as it symbolises the Hindutva ideology and polarisation of votes would benefit the BJP in the upcoming 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Modi’s win in Varanasi will affect BJP’s prospects in Uttar Pradesh, the region in which the party is banking heavily to improve its seat tally in Lok Sabha.
