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“A person like me, who is from an ordinary family and from a small town, has been given a very big responsibility,” said Narendra Modi said after being formally anointed the Bhartiya Janata Party’s Prime Ministerial candidate on Friday.
Ending months of suspense and amid stiff opposition by veteran leader Lal Krishna Advani, party President Rajnath Singh formally announced Modi’s candidature in the presence of all top leaders ( sans Advani). Singh also claimed support from all the allies of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). He said he had personally spoken to all party heads and they had blessed Modi.
After his anointment, in a brief speech before the media, Modi said: “I would like to assure all BJP workers and supporters that I will not leave any stone unturned to make the party victorious in the 2014 general elections.” The three-time Chief Minister of Gujarat sought widespread support to fight corruption and inflation and ushering in ‘Swaraj’ (self-rule).
Modi, who turns 63 next Tuesday, raised a slogan ‘Nayi Soch, Nayi Ummeed’ (new thinking, new hope). “The nation is passing through crisis, give strength to BJP to overcome it,” he said.
It was a day of fast-paced developments with Rajnath Singh personally meeting various leaders to convince them. Modi’s candidature became certain once the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh endorsed it last week.
Earlier, it was said that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and senior leader Murli Manohar Joshi had some reservations on Modi’s elevation at this juncture. But later Swaraj cancelled her plan to visit Haryana on Friday morning while Joshi returned from Sagar (Madhya Pradesh). Both attended the Parliamentary Board Meeting that approved Modi’s candidature. The meeting was attended by 11 out of the 12 members.
Singh said the decision was taken keeping in view the mood and aspirations of the people. He said the decision was taken “unanimously”. He said Advani was a respected leader and would continue to be respected. “We will keep seeking his guidance,” he added.
Surprisingly, several corporates, which had been openly praising Modi, preferred to adopt a wait-and-watch approach on Modi’s anointment.
Key political parties, too, chose not to react to Modi's elevation, at least initially.
shishir.s@thehindu.co.in
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