Modi holds one-on-one meeting with Advani

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a one-on-one meeting with senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani, with whom he is not on the best of terms since the party patriarch opposed his elevation as poll campaign head.

Soon after the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting at the party headquarters here, Modi drove to Advani's residence and held an hour-long meeting with him. Incidentally, the two leaders were seated next to each other at the head of the table during the parliamentary board meeting. However, their interaction was limited, sources said.

Modi appears to be following Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat's directions that all senior leaders should be taken along in decision making and finalisation of the strategy and plans for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Advani has been unhappy with the developments in the party. He was opposed to Modi's elevation -- which was announced at the BJP's conclave in Goa in Advani's absence. He had resigned in protest but withdrew his resignation at Bhagwat's behest.

Since then Advani has not opposed Modi's moves on party issues overtly. Modi met Bhagwat on July 16 while Advani had visited Nagpur to meet the RSS chief in the first week of this month.

Modi also called on former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Thursday. The Gujarat chief minister had two surprise visitors. BJP vice-president Uma Bharti and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi met him in Gujarat Bhawan.

While Bharti was reportedly opposed to Modi's elevation and kept away from the Goa meet, Sushil Modi was at one point considered very close to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Bharti had soon given up her opposition while Sushil Modi has attacked Kumar strongly and hit out at him since the Janata Dal-United walked out of the National Democratic Alliance.