The Hindu : National : Manmohan’s comment is fantasy: BJP

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Wednesday, Dec 12, 2007
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Manmohan’s comment is fantasy: BJP

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Reacting to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s comment that the BJP had named its leader for a post for which there was no vacancy, the party said his remarks were based on fantasy rather than fact.

During a visit to Gujarat, Dr. Singh said although he would not like to comment on the BJP’s internal affairs, it would seem the party sensed danger from Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and, therefore, anointed L.K. Advani as its prime ministerial candidate.

BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy said here: “The Prime Minister’s statement is between fantasy and fact. The fact is the Prime Minister has admitted that Mr. Modi has emerged as a tall leader and the fantasy is that Mr. Modi would challenge Mr. Advani.”

BJP relieved

Party leaders privately said the announcement on Advani was to have been made on his birthday on November 8. But “it took several weeks to persuade [the former Prime Minister] Atal Bihari Vajpayee that this [decision] was in the best interests of the party.” It was a major relief for the party now that the leadership issue was settled, and everyone would fall in line, the leaders said.

While the Janata Dal (United) president has said it will have no problem with Mr. Advani’s leadership of the National Democratic Alliance, another major ally, the Akali Dal, described the announcement as “the beginning of the end of the United Progressive Alliance government.”

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