In a debate moderated by TIMES NOW's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, panelists -- P C Chacko, MP, Lok Sabha, Congress; Meenakshi Lekhi, Mahila Morcha Natl VP, BJP; and Devesh Chandra Thakur, Leader, JD(U) -- discuss the issue of whether Rahul Gandhi avoids stepping forward if the BJP aggressively pushed Narendra Modi as its PM choice by early 2013.
Close on the heels of BJP leader Sushma Swaraj describing Narendra Modi "fit" for the Prime Minister's post, the Gujarat Chief Minister came in for praise from L K Advani who said he is a "role model" of development and asked other states to imitate him. "Modi is undertaking great development work in Gujarat. He is a role model for chief ministers of other states on how to rule, govern and take care of even the poorest," he said addressing election rallies at Kalol and Mansa in Gandhinagar district in the run up to the Gujarat Assembly polls on December 13 and 17. Advani's praise of Modi comes days after Swaraj and BJP leader Gopinath Munde described him "fit" for the prime minister's post. "Narendra Modi is capable of becoming the prime minister of the country... he is fit for it," Swaraj had said on Saturday (Dec 1). Arun Jaitley, another senior party leader, had said that BJP is proud of the fact it had a leader like Modi and he is so popular and a "successful CM" that it is "natural" the party will keep his name "ahead" in the prime ministerial aspirants.
