Modi takes a risky gamble

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s ultimate arbiter on the distribution of tickets in Gujarat, state chief minister Mr Narendra Modi has fielded nineteen new faces in his state where ballots will be cast on 30 April in all 26 Parliament constituencies.
If the BJP wins most of these seats it would establish Mr Modi as the most successful gambler in national politics, for no other state leader had been as daring as he to put so many eggs in one basket in this crucial Parliament election. This is particularly significant in light of the BJP indicating today that Mr Modi is second in line after Mr LK Advani for the post of Prime Minister, a declaration that has sent a wave of excitement among BJP workers, as well as the party's traditional voters.
The simple calculation behind granting tickets to his chosen loyalists is to defeat the anti-incumbency factor. Simultaneously, analysts say, by sending this team of loyalists to Delhi, the Gujarat CM is reinforcing his status in the party organization.
Mr Modi displayed remarkable high handedness in discarding some old BJP stalwarts like Mr Kashiram Rana, six-time MP from Surat, giving that ticket to Ms Darshana Jardosh, a two-time municipal corporation member.
Another ambitious BJP leader under grooming is Mr CR Patil, a nominee for Navsari seat in south Gujarat. He is believed to have accepted the responsibility of winning all seats in this part of the state where the Congress has four sitting MPs in the outgoing Lok Sabha.
Speaking to The Statesman, Mr Patil, a wealthy farmer from Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district, claimed he would stand up to the challenge. The consolidation of rural–urban votes in the delimitation exercise, Mr Patil said, would favour his party since “urbanites were BJP voters”.
Sitting Congress MP from Bardoli constituency, Dr Tushar Chowdhary, was of the view that such calculations seldom counted since an MP is gauged by his performance. He said the Congress should win 16 of the 26 seats because of the incumbency factor. Yet, Dr Chowdhary appeared unhappy with the weakness of the Congress as an organization, and agreed, if somewhat reluctantly, that much needed to be done to revive the party.
'Nothing to apologise for'
Mr Narendra Modi remains defiant over his role in the Gujarat riots, telling a TV channel that he had nothing to apologise for, adds PTI from New Delhi. Defending himself against allegations of being callous towards the plight of Gujarat minorities after the riots, he said, “Why are you being generous? Do not forgive Narendra Modi, if he has done anything wrong. Hang him publicly if you find him guilty.”