Veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani's nationwide Rathyatra which will roll out from Bihar on October 11 will pass through Gujarat for two days. It will enter the state from south Gujarat and then head north towards Rajasthan.
During the Rathyatra, Advani is likely address his first public gathering in the state in Valsad. He will move towards Rajasthan after addressing a public gathering in Himmatnagar. His yatra, which aims at highlighting corruption, will conclude on November 20.
BJP sources said, "The yatra will begin on October 11 from Bihar and it will take at two weeks before it arrives in Gujarat. However, the exact schedules would be decided in the national executive meeting in New Delhi on Friday." They said a special rath for Advani was being prepared.
However, according to sources, if chief minister Narendra Modi does not attend the scheduled national executive meeting on Friday as speculated, the leaders will have to discuss the possible negative impact of his absence on Advani's yatra, particularly during the Gujarat leg. It is said that if the relations between Advani and Modi continue to be strained, it can affect the image of the saffron party.
"The leaders expect Modi to attend the meeting on Friday, but if he does not, top leaders will discuss the impact of his absence on Advani's Rathyatra,'' said sources.
They said that the party would like to ensure that no adverse message is sent out to people during Advani's Rathyatra. The party would definitely like to receive an overwhelming response from people of Gujarat during the yatra and for that it would have to make sure that no signs of dissension are seen within the party.
Advani is Lok Sabha MP from Gandhinagar. The veteran leader is known to espouse Gujarat's cause on many occasions. Besides, he also has been Modi's mentor for long.
