Narendra Modi supporters protest outside Advani's residence

New Delhi, June 8: Following the absence of L K Advani from the National Executive Meet from Goa, Narendra Modi's supporters on Saturday protested outside senior party leader L K Advani's residence in New Delhi.

The protests and Advani's absence suggest that the internal rift within the BJP is widening.

The protesters demanded that "Mr Advani must make way for Mr Modi to officially gather centrestage in the BJP and to be announced the head of the party's campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections."

85-year-old Advani on Saturday skipped the BJP national executive citing health reasons, perhaps for the first time in the party's history, apparently to express his opposition to making Modi the campaign committee chief.

However, the sources said the party is keen to make the announcement about Modi at the national executive and the RSS has given its go-ahead to it and supported Modi's elevation.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders tried to playdown Advani's absence at the national executive meet.

Party general secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy said he had enquired about Advani's health and he is actually unwell. Insisting that not much should be read into this issue, he said Advani would have loved to be present at the conclave.

BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said Advani is indisposed and hence, he has not been able to attend the meeting.

National executive member Nalin Kohli said BJP is different from the Congress and does not have camps. He also said that BJP is deliberating upon the plans to replace the UPA government in the next elections as people are fed up of the corruption, scams and lack of governance in the Congress-led regime, reported media.

OneIndia News