Panaji, Goa:
As the BJP preps to place Narendra Modi in charge of the party's strategy for elections -an announcement is expected on Sunday at its conclave in Goa- sources close to LK Advani are explaining why the 85-year-old has been so firmly opposed to that move.
The veteran leader is reportedly concerned that if the Gujarat chief minister is promoted - first as the chief of the election committee and later as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate- the BJP will be forced to spend more time defending Mr Modi's secular credentials than in highlighting scandals of graft to ensnare the government.
Sources say Mr Advani, who skipped Day 1 of the Goa conference but is expected tomorrow- feels the BJP should not project any one leader as its presumptive prime minister.
Mr Modi is a polarising figure on account of the communal riots in his state in 2002, in which hundreds of Muslims were killed during his first term in office. His severest critics accuse him of complicity in the riots- a charge not proven in court or by different commissions that have investigated the riots.
Sources say that Mr Advani feels that by placing Mr Modi centre stage, the ruling Congress-led coalition will be able to shift the headline of the elections away from the corruption scandals that have pummeled the government's credibility and have given the BJP the headline of its campaign.
Mr Modi's "secular credentials" have been questioned not just by opposition parties but by an important ally of the BJP, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. His Janata Dal (United) has said it will end its partnership with the BJP if the latter picks Mr Modi as its presumptive prime minister.