Narendra Modi’s supporters demonstrate outside Advani’s residence

A handful of protesters holding a banner ‘Narendra Modi’s Army’ shouted pro-Modi slogans outside Advani’s 30-Prithviraj Road residence this afternoon.

Holding placards that read ‘Narendra Modi Zindabad’ and ‘Bring Modi as Prime Minister’,the protesters demanded that Advani should step aside and allow Modi to assume a greater role.

“We have come here because we want Advani to step aside and let Modi come forward. Advani should have announced Modi’s candidature for Prime Ministership in Goa but he did not do that,” one of the protesters said.

Another protester said,”Our main demand is that Modi should be declared as the Prime Ministerial candidate. That’s why we are protesting here.”

BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain,however,quickly disassociated the party from the protest. “These people have nothing to do with BJP. Advaniji is the seniormost leader of the party,” he said.

Later,addressing a press conference another BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said the party condemned the protests outside Advani’s residence. “BJP does not do any demonstrations in front of its leader’s house,” she said.

85-year-old Advani has stayed away from the conclave in Goa apparently to express his opposition to making Modi the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign committee chief.

Revelling in the apparent rift over Modi within the Opposition party,Congress expressed its full sympathy over what was being done to the “architect” of the BJP by his own “party workers”.

Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary said the nation “stands warned” over the kind of “rowdyism” witnessed there.

“Today what is happening outside Advani’s residence should frighten all of us. If a man who is virtually the architect of that political party is now faced with that kind

of rowdyism,then the nation stands warned that what is going to come to them. That terrifies us,” she said.

Chowdhary said the protest outside Advani’s residence was “hooliganism” and it was regrettable.

“If anyone falls sick,it is our party’s tradition that we wish them well,” she said when asked whether Congress sympathised with Advani when he is sick.

Taking a dig at BJP over absence of key leaders at party’s Goa conclave where a larger role for Modi is expected to be decided,she had said,”Namonitis virus is spreading in Goa.” Modi is known as “Namo” among his supporters.