New Delhi, Oct 1: With Narendra Modi's absence bringing the rift within to surface, the BJP today went on an overdrive to speak on the need for “unity” in the party, saying early polls cannot be ruled out on account of Government being in a “suicidal mode”.
Modi kept away from the national executive on the second and concluding day too but top leaders who spoke on the political resolution denied there was any rift between Modi and L K Advani on the issue of yatra later this month that has become a source of friction between the two.
In his valedictory address, Advani said “there is a crisis of governance and this government is in a suicidal mode. We do not need to disturb it”.
“The government is full of corruption and does not deserve to be in office... We must gear up as you never know what is in the offing,” he said.
Leaders of Opposition in both Houses of Parliament-Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley also spoke on similar lines saying the party should be ready for mid-term polls with a united and clean face.
“We also have to learn from the mistakes of Congress. We need to have a clean image, unity in the party, bring all allies together, and perform our role as the opposition to prepare ourselves for forming an alternative government,” Swaraj said.
Asked if Swaraj was talking about the rift between Modi and senior BJP leader L K Advani, Jaitley, who briefed the media, denied it.
“She was emphasising on unity. There are no issues between Modi and Advani. Saying that the party should have a clean image and stay together is a very natural thing. Most of our leaders have spoken about it and rightly so. It is wrong to see this differently,” Jaitley said.
The national executive adopted a five-page resolution attacking the government, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram on the 2G scam and claimed there was a “civil and uncivil war” between ministers. When the BJP exposed the series of scams and acts of corruption, the Prime Minister suddenly accused the opposition of trying to destabilise the government and force a mid-term poll, it said.
“This is a comment of desperation by the Prime Minister designed to divert from the main issue,” the resolution said. Jaitley, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said, “There is a question mark for all of us on which way the future of politics in this country is headed. There does not appear to be much confidence that this government will survive till 2014. Our leaders emphasised that the party should be prepared for all possibilities.”
While emphasising on this issue, his Lok Sabha counterpart Swaraj appeared to be sending across a message to Modi as well as she insisted on the need for winning more allies to the NDA and staying united if the party wanted to make a serious bid to come to power.
Lashing out at the government, Advani said it is “dysfunctional” and the people were “fed-up” with it. Advani, who is all set to take out a yatra for good governance and clean politics from October 11, insisted that the party would strive to create awareness among the people about corruption and price rise.
The conclave discussed the strategy for the forthcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Manipur and Punjab. PTI
