Gauge public mood on NaMo: Another Modi advises Advani

Amid efforts to convince L K Advani on declaring Narendra Modi as Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Bihar's BJP chief Sushil Kumar Modi said the veteran leader had failed to gauge the public mood in this regard.

The former Bihar deputy chief minister said Advani had declared Atal Behari Vajpayee as the party's face in the past and he could have done the same for Narendra Modi today.

"Advaniji has failed to gauge the public mood. Advaniji himself declared Atalji as PM candidate. Now also he could have done the same for Namo," Sushil Modi said on Twitter.

Advani is appearing to be a stumbling block for the BJP in finalising the name of Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate and hectic efforts were underway to convince him to give up his opposition.

Senior BJP leaders have held meetings with Advani to bring him on board to declare Narendra Modi's name. BJP President Rajnath Singh held a half an hour meeting with Advani on Wednesday, while former party president Nitin Gadkari had met the party's parliamentary party chief on Tuesday as an emissary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Advani is opposed to Narendra Modi's candidature and had announced his resignation from all party posts soon after his anointment as the BJP campaign committee chief in the recently held national executive at Goa.

Sources say Advani has not given up his opposition to the Gujarat chief minister during his recent meetings with party's top brass.

Image: Bihar's BJP chief Sushil Kumar Modi