Veteran leader LK Advani, who gets no support within the party to pursue his Prime Ministerial ambitions, has been lavish while praising Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and belittling Narendra Modi’s achievements in Gujarat. However, BJP President Rajnath Singh was quick to rush in to Modi’s rescue.

“Gujarat was a healthy State, when Modiji became CM. He improved the State. But here Shivrajji has achieved a complete turnaround, transforming a ‘Bimaru’ State into a healthy State that is counted internationally,” said Advani, making it clear that he gives more importance to Shivraj, not Modi. Advani even compared Shivraj to Vajpayee, amusing the political pundits.

However, Rajnath Singh rubbished the reports of confusion and rift within the BJP and said Narendra Modi is the most popular leader in the country and there is no ambiguity in it. He hailed Modi’s leadership and vision, giving strong indications that the party is gearing up to make him the Prime Ministerial candidate sooner than later.

Almost all opinion polls, surveys and political debates have projected Modi as the most popular leader to lead the country. He is way ahead of leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi, LK Advani, Nitish Kumar and others. While the BJP wants to project him as the leader for 2014 polls, it fears backlash from its key ally JD(U) and potential allies such as BJD, TDP, Trinamool Congress and others who do not want to be associated with Narendra Modi under any circumstances.