Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP strongman Narendra Modi is upset over the move to give incumbent party president Nitin Gadkari a second term, reports said on Tuesday.
To register his protest, Modi would not attend the BJP National Executive meet scheduled to be held on May 24-25 in Mumbai, reports claimed.
Modi had skipped the last national executive meet, held in Delhi, too, besides not heeding to Gadkari’s request to campaign for the party in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the recently concluded Assembly polls in the politically crucial state. The Hindutva mascot was also, reportedly, upset over the reinstatement of Sanjay Joshi in the organizational set-up.
Although the friction between the two leaders has been evident for quite some time, it now appears to be heading for a showdown as the RSS is said to be in favour of Gadkari getting a second term. Importantly, as per the BJP constitution, only a National Council comprising around 2,500 office-holders from across the country can make amendments to the party rules and decide on crucial issues like giving another extension or a new term to the party president.
Over 500 delegates, including chief ministers, deputy chief ministers, leaders of opposition and party state unit chiefs, are expected to attend the meeting in Mumbai.