The rising stock of Gujarat ChiefMinister Narendra Modi within the BJP was apparently visibleat the party's national executive meet here today whenPresident Rajnath Singh gave him a special welcome and notedthat even the European Union is recognising his achievements.
Modi, seen as a frontrunner among BJP's prime ministerialprobables, was lauded by Singh for achieving the unprecedentedfeat of winning three consecutive elections in Gujarat. Singhsaid no other BJP chief minister has such a record.
"The party president accorded a special welcome toNarendra Modi. He has created a new record among the BJP chiefministers by being the first to be re-elected for the thirdconsecutive term with a very convincing majority. All thenational executive members also welcomed him," BJPspokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told a press conference.
Singh appreciated Modi's performance again in his speechwhen he criticised the UPA government's "failure" in revivingthe economy.
"The president also said that performance of BJP-ruledstates is being discussed around the world. He made a specialmention of Gujarat. That even the European Union isrecognising this and despite several campaigns against himthey are trying to build new relations with him," Prasad said.
But the BJP was non-committal on whether the issue of whowill be its prime ministerial candidate has been settled inModi's favour.
Asked about it, Prasad said, "I think the nationalpresident has clarified repeatedly. Let me reiterate it today.
We are very proud of the leadership of Narendra Modi. He wasappreciated, complimented because of the historic third win,being the first BJP chief minister to do so.
"But who shall be the PM candidate of the BJP, theparty's Parliamentary Board will decide at the appropriatetime."
In his inaugural address, Singh also referred to the circumstances under which took over as BJP chief in January.
"Singh said he has accepted the post of president with aheavy heart," Prasad told reporters. He added that in BJPchange of responsibility is a natural process.
In a dramatic turn of events, former president NitinGadkari- who was set to get another term- was replaced bySingh as the unanimous choice after companies related to hisPurti Group were raided by the Income Tax department.
This is the first National Executive and Council Meet ofthe BJP since Singh took over. The formalities of hisacceptance by the BJP National Council- a body comprising ofnearly 2,200 office-bearers and members from across the statesand the Central leadership- will be completed tomorrow.
At the National Executive meeting, Gadkari welcomed Singhand announced that he will stand by the new president with allhis strength as he has done for the BJP all along.
The three-day conclave will see the BJP leaders discussthe strategy for the forthcoming Assembly elections in stateslike Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi andKarnataka as well as the 2014 general elections.
Setting the mood for the conclave in his speech, Singhsaid, "If 20th Century was a century of the Congress, let 21stCentury be the century of the BJP."
He praised the BJP-ruled states and enumerated theeconomic failures of the UPA government. Singh described theunion budget as a "budget of desperation".
"Singh held UPA government's bad governance, recurrentcorruption and gross mismanagement of the economy responsibleand said the entire credibility of Indian governance is inserious crisis at the global stage," Prasad said.
The BJP chief also maintained that the "very precarious"GDP of India, which is nearly 5 per cent, is also"substantially" because of the over 10 per cent growth rate ofBJP-ruled states.