BJP closes electoral college gap, Modi keeps up suspense

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inched closer to getting a person of his choice as the country’s next President.

A three-fourth majority in Uttar Pradesh fills much of the deficit that the BJP needed for its nominee to occupy Raisina Hill. Will that cheer up BJP’s two senior leaders, LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, who now have a largely ceremonial role in the party’s Margdarshak Mandal?

Both Advani and Joshi were Modi’s mentors in Delhi and Ahmedabad.

During his initial days in Delhi, Modi spent most evening taking lessons from Joshi. When the senior leader unfurled the tricolour at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk in 1992, he had Modi by his side. It was Modi’s first tryst with limelight.

The credit to send Modi to Gujarat to take over as chief minster goes to Advani, who also stood by him in his days of crisis.

Will Modi now offer guru dakshina to his mentors? BJP leaders have their fingers crossed but there is an underlying feeling that it will be unlikely.

“Lagta nahi hai” is the common refrain of BJP leaders on the possibility of the two veterans becoming country’s President and vice- president.

Election for a new President is due in July when Pranab Mukherjee completes his five-year term. Vice-president Hamid Ansari ends his second term in August.

Many names are doing the rounds in BJP circles about who will occupy the seats.

From a Dalit to a woman and a tribal to an RSS choice; the guessing game is far from over.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Jharkhand governor Draupadi Murmu, Bihar governor Ramnath Kovid, social justice minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, I&B minister M Venkaiah Naidu, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and nominated Rajya Sabha member Narendra Jadhav — the list of probables for BJP leaders is just growing. Some don’t rule out a second term to incumbent Pranab Mukherjee.

“Stop guessing. Modi will surprise you all with his choice for the two posts,” a senior cabinet minister said.

FROM A DALIT TO A WOMAN AND A TRIBAL TO AN RSS CHOICE, THE GUESSING GAME FOR POSTS OF PRESIDENT AND VICEPRESIDENT IS FAR FROM OVER