New Delhi, April 7 (IANS) A galaxy of BJP bigwigs came together to release its much delayed manifesto Monday, but an iciness between prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and manifesto committee chief Murli Manohar Joshi was evident.
The apparent differences that caused delay in release the of the manifesto - happening on the first day of Lok Sabha poll - were sought to be glossed over with presentation of a united face in public and before cameras.
Party insiders said the delay in the manifesto release was due to "differences between Modi and Joshi". Modi wanted some changes in the document, which Joshi was not happy with, those privy to inner-party affairs said on condition of anonymity.
The BJP officially dubbed the delay as a "logistic issue", saying leaders were busy campaigning.
Modi, who sat at the centre of the stage, was flanked on either side by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh and Joshi. While he engaged in conversation with Rajnath Singh several times, no words were exchanged with Joshi. Neither did Modi try and supplement whatever Joshi was saying.
Both Rajnath Singh and Modi appeared uninterested and were seen chatting and flipping pages of the manifesto booklet as Joshi made his presentation on the key promises and answered most of journalists' queries.
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj and veteran leader L.K. Advani were also seen sitting quietly on the flanks.
However, when it came to words, the leaders said all the right things.
Joshi referred to Modi as the "future prime minister", Advani repeated time and again that he was "very happy" with these elections, while Modi chose to focus on the manifesto alone.
While the tension between leaders prevailed, it was decided by the party to give prominence to Joshi, in an apparent attempt to pacify the elder who felt sidelined by Modi. Joshi took the few questions asked by journalists, and stayed back after the official release function was over to answer more.
The only time when the BJP prime ministerial candidate was seen exchanging a word with Joshi was a brief moment before leaving the stage, an apparent good bye.
The BJP, anticipating a large crowd, organised the release not at its national headquarters, but in the premises of the adjoining 9, Ashoka Road, official bungalow of senor leader Arun Jaitley, who was out campaigning in Amritsar where he filed his nomination papers. Also missing were former party presidents Nitin Gadkari and M Venkaiah Naidu.
Modi, whose voice was already hoarse addressing election rallies, left soon after the event was over for his public meetings scheduled for the day.
India is facing a second wave of Corona these days. There is a state of outcry in the whole count
Modi government's 'digital strike' on fake news, 8 YouTube channels blocked
Fake news has become the biggest challenge for the government in this era of social media. The Mi
Natarajan's claim on Vedanta sparks debate in Odisha
Bhubaneswar, Jan 30 (IANS) Former union minister Jayanthi Natarajan's claim that Congress vice-
Monsoon shifting towards Delhi-Punjab and Haryana, Bihar-UP will also receive rain; Know the weather
Despite the onset of the Monsoon in full swing, many parts of the country have still witnessed mi
Haryana government's big move, state board examinations of 10th are canceled, 12th exam postponed
Chandigarh. After the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) board canceled the 10th examina
Pakistan's love for the Taliban increased again, said - if America does not recognize ...
The world's delay in recognizing the Taliban, the new regime of Afghanistan, is causing pain in P
Today is the 28th day of the Russia-Ukraine war. Amid the war, a verbal counterattack between Ame
West Indies not a one-man team: Clive Lloyd
Perth, March 3 (IANS) Legendary former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd dismissed suggestions th
Odisha legislator gets bail in chit fund case
Bhubaneswar, March 3 (IANS) The Odisha High Court on Tuesday granted conditional bail to Biju J
England the Perennial Bridesmaid (World Cup Team Profile)
Melbourne, Feb 11 (IANS) The England cricket team has earned the tag of 'always a bridesmaid an
