Modi named chairman of BJP election committee

This was announced by the BJP President, Rajnath Singh, at the end of the two-day executive committee meeting in Goa.

"I have declared Narendra Modi Chairman of the BJP election campaign," Rajnath said today.

"Whatever was done was done on the basis of consensus. Every party sees election as a challenge and BJP takes the 2014 polls as a challenge with a pledge to be victorious," he added.

"Keeping the Lok Sabha elections in mind, I had declared Modi as Chairman of the campaign committee."

Rajnath Singh told BJP cadres, "We are the only alternative, will bring about change." "From corruption to misgovernance, this country has been let down by the government," he added.

Advani was talked to by Rajnath Singh yesterday and today, said BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu to PTI.

Earlier today, the BJP said the party “cannot ignore the expectations of the workers” and a decision would be announced shortly.

The party also sent out a message to alliance partner JD(U), which has objections to projection of Modi as BJP’s Prime Ministerial face, saying the party does not need any certificate from anyone about who is secular and who is not.

BJP spokesman Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said the Gujarat Chief Minister is as “secular” as any other leader in the party and asserted that parties will ally with the party when it reaches close to power.

“People have expectations, we cannot ignore those expectations. Workers (of BJP) have expectations, we cannot ignore those expectations,” Hussain told a press conference here while briefing on the deliberations at BJP’s National Executive meet.

To a question about JD(U)’s opposition to Modi, he said, “We do not need certificate from anybody about who is secular and who is not... In BJP, all are secular and nobody is communal...How can one be secular (in BJP) and another not be secular?”

When asked by reporters about JD(U)’s reservations over Modi, Hussain said, “Modi’s ideology is the same as that of L.K. Advani which is the same as that of Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj, and Venkaiah Naidu.”

The BJP MP wondered how there can be any confusion about one party leader being secular and the other not. “Everybody from Atal Bihari Vajpayee downwards is secular,” Hussain said.

Asked whether Advani’s role will be confined to giving blessings to BJP leaders, he said, “Advani is a seniormost leader and also most hardworking. He will give his blessing and cooperation in dislodging Congress.”

He maintained that since BJP is a democratic party, unlike others, a democratic process of decision-making is followed in it. “We are doing this churning to bring out the best,” he said.

Hussain insisted that there should be no confusion about BJP’s ideology, saying either the whole party is secular or it is communal.

“BJP does not want to nor will it go to any party for a certificate on secularism,” he said.

Expressing confidence that BJP will win new allies before the polls, he said, “Some parties are with us. Some more will join.”

The spokesperson said only when BJP reaches a certain number of seats will other parties be attracted to NDA. They will not join the alliance merely because of the “looks” of the party, he added.