The VHP staunchly backed Gujarat Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate with two prominent saints openly rooting for him.
Acharya Vasudevacharya and Jagatguru Ramanujacharya openly backed Modi and demanded the Gujarat Chief Minister to be made BJP’s prime ministerial candidate immediately, at the VHP’s ‘Dharam Sansad’, conclave of saints, on Thursday.
“No UPA, No NDA, only Narendra Modi,” said saint Ramanujacharya.
Other saints said that if Modi became the Prime Minister, Ram Temple would also become a reality’ in Ayodhya.
VHP national leader Acharya Giriraj Kishore also supported Modi openly. While Modi was describing as the ‘Hindu’ icon by the gathering, outside the venue the air reverberated with Modi ‘zindabad’ slogans.
A section of VHP members, who opposed Modi due to Gujarat’s local politics, intervened during the Modi chant and clarified that ‘it was not the job of the VHP to name any politician for the post of Prime Minister, but to work for larger mission like protecting the rights of majority community -- the Hindus.
Meanwhile, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who was present at the Dharam Sansad organised by the VHP, failed to control himself backing Modi by saying, “it is true that Modi’s works are being appreciated all over the world”.
The RSS chief said, “the Ram Temple is not a matter of construction, but it is a matter of pride of Hindutva.” Sensing the mood of the crowd and the recent developments, Bhagwat appreciated Modi and his works in Gujarat but stopped short of supporting his name as BJP’s prime ministerial candidate for the upcoming elections.
He said that the time has come and the BJP would soon decide on its own.
It is learnt that, not only around the tent township of Maha Kumbh but also in the city, the street walls were filled with posters and hoardings of Modi, who is expected to arrive for a holy dip on February 12.
As a traditional practice, the VHP has been holding its two-day conclave during every Maha Kumbh to review its achievements and to finalise its future course of action.
On the first day of the Dharam Sansad, the conclave adopts certain resolutions and on the second day, the saints ratify them.