It was first time that BJP veteran and former deputy Prime Minister Lalkrishna Advani failed to mark his presence at party’s ‘Karyakarta Mahakumbh’ held ahead of the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. As Modi blew the poll bugle in the state, party patriarch was conspicuous by his absence. No BJP leader was ready to speak on whether Advani was invited or he did not come to party’s big event.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday during his speech in Karyakarta Mahakumbh in a veiled tone had mentioned that Advani is now a thing of the past. Citing pairs of leaders in the BJP, Chouhan said after Atal-Advani, the pairing of Shah-Modi had entered the arena. Advani was present in the party workers convention in 2013 when Modi was made as PM candidate. Modi had then sought blessings from Advani. It was Advani who had launched election campaigning of the BJP in 2008 and 2003.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Uma Bharati are said to belong to Advani camp in the party. After Modi becoming Prime Minister, Advani was stopped from being invited in the programmes in the state. Not inviting Advani in Karyakarta Mahakumbh of the BJP has given a clear indication that he would not be seen during election campaigning this time.
