Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal hailing the elevation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as chief campaigner of the party said that it was a long awaited decision, taken at the right time.
Dhumal said that though he could not attend Goa’s meet of the party due to campaigning for Mandi parliamentary bye-poll but had conveyed his best wishes to Modi after his elevation. “like former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Gujarat Chief Minister also has a special place in his heart for Himachal Pradesh,” said Dhumal.
He added that Modi has special focus on the youth and with his elevation to the post of campaign chief of the party, party workers will be rejuvenated and work to ensure the win of party in 2014 parliamentary elections.
Modi who was party’s State in-charge for Himachal Pradesh from 1994 to 2000 shares a cordial relation with Dhumal. Sources said that elevation of Modi is also likely to silence the detractors of Dhumal in the party and his rising stature would benefit Dhumal at large.
Modi while in capacity of state in-charge of party was instrumental in making Dhumal first time Chief Minister in 1998, when BJP formed a coalition government in the state for first time.
lavishing all praise on Modi, Dhumal said that he is a cementing force and his elevation would help in consolidating the factionalism in the party, which happens everywhere.
Senior party leaders on the condition of anonymity said that with the rise of Modi, Dhumal faction in the party will be stronger and Shanta faction will subside gradually.
Meanwhile, veteran party leader and party’s former national vice-president Shanta Kumar also congratulated Modi and said that party has taken a unanimous decision and respected the larger public sentiments.