New Delhi: Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi came, spoke and dominated the BJP central parliamentary board (CPB) — the highest decision-making body in the party — on his first appearance here on Tuesday.
After he was nominated to the CPB by party president Rajnath Singh, this was Modi’s first foray in his new avatar as the potential PM candidate of the party. And he lived up to his reputation. He was proactive and did not wait to be asked to take the lead. He gave suggestions and ideas as the CPB discussed strategies for the forthcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi. Though the issue of the Lok Sabha election was not discussed, the board was clear that it is ready to face parliamentary polls any time.
BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar said Modi emphasised the need to take the battle against the Congress to the world of social media, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube to woo young people.
A party leader who was present at an informal meeting that Modi later had with general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal and other party members, the Gujarat chief minister clarified that social media is only a limited but effective tool to combat the anti-BJP bias of the mainstream media, and that it is a new technology that should be fully used.
Ram Lal said Modi visited 9, Ashoka Road to spend time and revive his memories because he lived there in the 1990s as a party functionary, and he also met other party members. Those who were present included party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad and general secretary Amit Shah. They discussed the party affairs and the political scenario.
The CPB also decided to convene a meeting of the national party functionaries at Goa on June 7, followed by the national executive on June 8 and 9. The political and economic resolutions will be passed at the national executive, and decisions will be taken as to how to expose the failures of the nine years of UPA government.
The major takeaway of Tuesday’s CPB meeting is that Modi was seen in action, and he will be more involved in the party’s decision-making body and at other national panels as the days pass.
Hillele 