Modi’s laurels for PC upsets BJP

New Delhi, Feb. 7: The Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, praising the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and the Union home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, has not gone down well in the BJP headquarters.

The party is likely to seek an explanation from Mr Modi on the issue especially when the main Opposition had been continuously attacking the Centre for its failure on many fronts, including the internal security.

Mr Modi, at the chief ministers’ conference on the internal security issue on Sunday, praised the Prime Minister and the home minister for the Centre’s swift and positive action and greater cooperation with his state in dealing with security concerns.

Sources in the BJP disclosed that the anti-Modi camp had taken up the matter with the party chief Mr Nitin Gadkari.

A section within the party also feels that praising both Dr Singh and Mr Chidambaram on the internal security issue had come at a “very wrong time as the BJP is planning to corner the Centre on the issue during the forthcoming Parliament session.

Also, the issue is going to figure prominently during the BJP national executive meeting in Indore where the party will continue its attack on the government.

This section is also unhappy that it was Mr Modi who praised the Centre when the
Centre is being blamed for asking the President not to give assent to the Gujarat Control of Organised Crime (Gujcoc) Bill.

The Gujcoc is awaiting presidential assent after being rejected twice during UPA I.