Rajnath’s ‘isolate Advani’ plan

New Delhi: The big story when the BJP parliamentary board meets on Friday is not the impending announcement of Narendra Modi as the party’s prime ministerial candidate for 2014. The huge story will be whether Sushma Swaraj and Murli Manohar Joshi continue to throw their lot behind Modi’s detractor, LK Advani. 

According to sources, as the countdown for the big BJP announcement begins, party chief Rajnath Singh is vigorously working on a strategy to isolate Advani by promising a brighter future to both Swaraj and Joshi.

While the 85-year-old Advani’s ambition for the 7 Racecourse Road will be over with the announcement of Modi’s name, Singh is believed to have impressed upon Swaraj that she had age on her side and hence a long political innings to play.

Sources say that as per Singh’s formula to woo Swaraj, who is a prime ministerial aspirant herself,  she could be the dark horse in the event of Modi-led NDA falling way short of magic figure of 272 in the next Lok Sabha. In such an event, Swaraj could be showcased to woo into the NDA fold such parties like JD(U) or Trinamool Congress which are inimical to Modi on the issue of secularism.

Sources say that Rajnath has assured Sushma that her seniority and stature will be protected in the event of Modi becoming the prime minister.

Similarly, Singh is believed to have assured Joshi that his seniority in the party will remain intact even in a Modi Raj. Besides, Singh is believed to have told Joshi that Advani’s name was announced as PM candidate in 2009 despite Joshi’s objections. In such a backdrop, Joshi’s objection to a PM candidate for a second consecutive election will have little meaning.

The big question is whether Modi’s name will be announced unanimously. And even a bigger question is whether Advani will attend the parliamentary board meeting at all. In any case, even if he chooses to boycott the meeting, Modi’s name is set to be announced in much the same manner as the Goa conclave. Advani had reservations over Modi and had stayed away from Goa, but this did not stop the BJP from announcing Modi’s name as the party’s campaign chief.

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