Delhi: Putting aside the Bihar debacle, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani had on November 22 lavished praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and had expressed confidence that the party will win the state Municipal Co-operation elections just like the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
"I am happy that Narendra Modi is working as the Prime Minister of the country. I am confident that the BJP will win the local body elections in the same way as we won in the 2014 General Assembly Elections," Advani had said after casting his vote in the local body elections in Ahmedabad, as per ANI.
The praise had come barely days the BJP leadership had faced its first open challenge from within since forming the government at the Centre in May last year.
Four veteran leaders, including LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, had issued a stinging statement on November 10 after BJP's resounding defeat in Bihar, that the party was being 'forced to kow-tow to a handful, its 'consensual character has been destroyed, and it has been 'emasculated' in the last year.
The letter also had the backing of Yashwant Sinha and Shanta Kumar.
Now, as per a report in Catch News, the revolt by the Margdarshak Mandal fizzled out suddenly because as per insiders say Advani withdrew his support, leaving others in a lurch.
The question that is being asked as to why did Advani make a U-turn and did he strike a deal of sorts with PM Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.
The website quoted a BJP leader on the condition of anonymity saying that party veterans are not bothered about serious changes in BJP's structure but are only interested in keeping their relevance intact.
The report also quoted, party ideologue Govindacharaya as saying that Advani was eyeing the President's chair which will be vacated in 2017.
He also said that Yashwant Sinha wanted to become the Chairman of BRICS but things did not work out.
Govindacharaya added that Sinha was now looking for some consolation deputation and Joshi would be fine with any job.
To be noted is the fact that Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley paid a visit to Joshi and Advani after their public statement.
It was said that Jaitley had gone to invite the veterans to his daughter's wedding.
Meanwhile, Shanta Kumar is said to have told Catch News that the party itself has ended the matter, thus there was no point talking about it.
It must be said in the end that one does not know for sure as to what exactly transpired and whether Govindacharya's assertions has any merit.
