Bengaluru: The stage is now set for the two-day meeting of the BJP National Executive beginning here on Friday to finetune strategies including on blunting the opposition campaign on the land acquisition ordinance even as speculation mounted over whether veteran leader L K Advani would address the conclave.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived on Thursday joining party President Amit Shah and others in a meeting of the central office bearers to chalk out the agenda for the meeting of the newly-constituted Executive.
Shah told the leaders about BJP having become the largest party in the world after enrolling nearly 10 crore members. The meeting discussed the two resolutions to be discussed by the Executive.
"The party leaders lauded the efforts of the BJP President and all those involved in the membership drive and in making BJP the largest party in the world," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters about the meeting.
The Land Acquisition ordinance that is likely to be re-promulgated is one of the important issues that will be discussed at the meeting when leaders will attempt to evolve a strategy to counter the vigorous opposition campaign.
The government has been forced to re-issue the ordinance as it lacks numbers in the Rajya Sabha and the Opposition has mounted a vigorous campaign calling it anti-farmer.
On the eve of the meet, there was speculation whether Advani will address the conclave following reports that he was reluctant to speak.
On an earlier occasion in June 2013, Advani, now part of the party's largely-ceremonial 'marg darshak mandal', had skipped the National Executive meet when it was decided to make Modi the Campaign Chief for the Lok Sabha polls.
BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain evaded a direct reply to a volley of questions on issue at a press conference here. He merely maintained that senior leaders like Advani will continue to "guide and bless" the party.
"Advaniji will attend the meeting tomorrow. The party will receive guidance from all the senior leaders. They have been blessing us and we will continue to seek their guidance,"
Hussain said.
He declined to give a categorical answer when asked whether Advani will deliver the valedictory address as has been the practice ever since the party was founded in 1980.
The National Executive here will open with an address by party President Amit Shah, who chaired the meeting of office-bearers today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also address the meet.
Claiming there were some states where BJP has increased its membership by three-to-seven-fold, Hussain said that Shah lauded the party units, which achieved high enrolment figures during the drive.
Meanwhile, as to allegations of "fake" memberships being made by Congress, the spokesperson said that the rival party should worry about itself and not the BJP.
"Congress leaders should not worry about BJP. Why are our opponents worried," he said while emphasising that the verification of new members would be done in due course.
The national executive meet will be inaugurated tomorrow by Shah while Prime Minister Modi is to chair the meeting which will be attended by senior party leaders and the 111-member executive, besides the chief ministers and former chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and other invitees.
