Ahmedabad:
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in an open letter to the people of his state says that in the past 10 years it had become fashionable to defame him and the state of Gujarat. After the Supreme Court order he will now go on a three-day fast for social harmony, beginning on his birthday September 17.
The Supreme Court order has brought cheer in the saffron parivar. The usually media shy Sangh expressed relief after Monday's Supreme Court order on the Zakia Jafri case. "The case has been sent back to the magistrate's court. Now the law will take its course and the truth will come out," said RSS spokesperson, Ram Madhav.
The RSS calculators are out - building brand Modi as a good governance mascot, the cadres' favourite and possibility next. But sources tell NDTV, the assembly elections in 2012 will be Mr Modi's first litmus test. If he bucks anti-incumbency and manages an unprecedented fourth term for the BJP, he is most likely to move to Delhi and could, in all probability, become the BJP president.
But the RSS is also wary of infighting in the already crowded BJP top brass. How factions that back LK Advani react or reactions from leaders like Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley continue to worry the saffron brigade. The BJP is unlikely to declare a leader till 2014 and a leader will only be chosen if the BJP is close to a majority. The political face for the 2014 polls will be a mass leader.
Acceptance of allies like JD(U) is also a cause for concern. The Sangh and the BJP think-tank however feel that if the party manages a better showing than the Congress under Mr Modi, allies will flock to the BJP.