As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) commenced its largest strategy meet on Thursday since coming to power at the centre, it remained unclear if veteran leader L.K. Advani will address the national executive meet.
The three-day BJP conclave is holding the national office bearers’ meet on Thursday and its national executive meet is scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
Evading a direct reply to the question, party spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said “the party has the guidance of all senior leaders” while refusing to state whether or not Advani would deliver a speech.
Advani, one of BJP’s main founding members and senior-most leaders, has attended and addressed all national executive meetings of the party, except during the last meet in Goa when Narendra Modi was announced to be the head of party’s campaign committee in Lok Sabha polls.
Advani had not only skipped the event but also sent a letter resigning from all posts of the party. His differences with the party’s decision were later reconciled. After that more than once Advani has congratulated Modi for leading the BJP to victory in general elections.
According to party sources, this time Advani, a three-time BJP president, is not keen on addressing the party’s national executive meet.
Sources added that organisation secretary of the party Ramlal met Advani in Delhi days before the meet over the issue. But it was not clear if Advani will speak at the forum.
Advani, along with Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Murli Manohar Joshi, is a part of a ‘Margdarshak Mandal’ or the party’s guiding committee which includes Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh.
The three veterans have already been eased out of BJP’s parliamentary board, the highest decision making body of the party. The guiding committee, however, has not held a single meet since being set up last August.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the city earlier in the day. Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Bharatiya Janata Party’s national vice president B.S. Yeddyurappa and state unit president Prahlad Joshi received Modi after he landed at the HAL airport.
As hundreds of BJP cadres and supporters waited in the hot sun outside the airport to greet the prime minister, Modi suddenly alighted from the car and walked up to them, waving and smiling at them.
“We are humbled by Modi’s gesture to get down from his car and greet us in person. He is our party’s true leader and connects well with the workers,” an elated party worker said.
Amid tight security, Modi drove to Raj Bhavan in a convoy, which was escorted by a fleet of police and VIP vehicles that blocked vehicular traffic on the 8-km route.
After resting for some time, Modi drove to the Lalit Ashok hotel, two km from Raj Bhavan, to address party members in the evening.
On Friday, Modi will participate in the inaugural meeting of the party’s national executive at the same venue and later address a public meeting at the National College grounds.
“Modi will also attend the second day’s executive meeting on Saturday and address party members in the afternoon before lunch and leave for Delhi later,” a party official said.
Though the national executive meeting is the first after the BJP came to power at the Centre in May 2014, it is the fourth time the meet is being held here after the first in 1993, second 1999 and the third 2008, when the party was in power in the southern state for five years.
“Modi will also interact with the BJP’s members in parliament and state legislatures on the margins of the meet and collect feedback from them on the people’s perception of the 10-month-old NDA government at the Centre,” the official said.
Keeping in view Modi’s penchant for his pet project Swachch Bharat Abhiyan (or Clean India Mission), the cash-starved Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) swung into action and spruced up some of the thoroughfares, roads and footpaths Modi will pass through during his stay in the city till Saturday afternoon.
In view of the presence of senior party leaders L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, party president Amit Shah, union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, M. Venkaiah Nadu, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Rajiv Pratap Rudy, security has been tightened in the city, especially around the venues where Modi will visit.
Facing a roadblock in the Rajya Sabha over the Land Acquisition Bill, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to discuss the way forward for the legislation during its strategy meet here, sources said.
Sources said a presentation will be made on the salient features of the land bill so that its strong points get highlighted. It is also likely to find a mention in the resolutions passed by the party during the two-day national executive, a party leader said.
Talking about the possible ways ahead, a party leader said workers across the country will be involved in spreading the message that the bill is not anti-farmer.
The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015, which will replace an ordinance promulgated by the government, is facing stiff opposition with even some allies coming out against the bill.
Unable to have the bill passed before the land acquisition ordinance lapses on April 5, the BJP-led government has now prorogued the Rajya Sabha and is likely to repromulgate the ordinance.
According to BJP sources, four senior ministers “Arun Jaitley, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari and M. Venkaiah Naidu” are talking to various stakeholders across the country to whip up support for the contentious Bill.
Expanding its base in the country, especially the seven states where it is weak, will be the focus of the strategy meet.
According to party sources, the states identified for this include Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha. The agenda for the two-day national executive meeting, starting on Friday, was discussed at the office-bearers’ meet presided over by BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also join the office-bearers’ meet later in the day and address them.
“The party will adopt a political resolution and a resolution on how the image of India has been enhanced internationally,” BJP spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said talking about the meeting.
The BJP leader also said they would discuss how to involve BJP workers in the Clean India and Clean Ganga campaigns.
He said Shah, speaking at the beginning of the meet, congratulated members over the success of the membership campaign.
Asked if there will be any discussion on the way ahead for the Land Acquisition Bill as it appears to have hit a roadblock in parliament, the spokesperson said: “All issues of national importance will be discussed.”
The meeting, which is likely to be the last one before the Bihar assembly polls, is also expected to focus on the state elections.
“Whatever the ‘Janta Parivar’ may do, BJP will win Bihar,” Hussain said. Asked if the BJP’s poor performance in Delhi will also be taken up, the spokesperson said: “Both victories and defeats will be discussed.” (IANS)
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