Modi-fying the BJP

This Gujarat elections, it's Narendra Modi versus the Congress. Modi's political strategy has hit his own colleagues in the party.

Today, virtually every top leader of the BJP has either quit or is on his way out. Is Modi injecting some new vigour or eliminating all other power centers?

The overnight transition from nomadic pracharak to the BJP's only Gujarat icon was not accidental, but choreographed, using every tool of modern political communication.

''Modi is using Internet, Modi is using blogs, SMS, live programmes to his advantage. And he is a master spin doctor,'' said Ajay Ummat, Editor, Divya Bhaskar.

Once the BJP had leaders in every region in Gujarat. Suresh Mehta in Kutch, Keshubhai Patel in Saurashtra, Kashiram Rana in Surat and Saknar Sinh Vaghela in Central Gujarat.

Almost all of them now have either quit or on their way out.

Ask those like Suresh Mehta and they will blame the influence of Modi on the high command.

''Because of Advaniji only, he was the party. He was totally given charge of Gujarat for the Centre. Whenever there was a question of Gujarat, it was passed to Advaniji. No one would even bother to look at it. Narendra was staying in Delhi realised this. He then held total grip over Advaniji and result is there today,'' said Suresh Mehta Former CM, Gujarat.

Others say that many leaders sidelined by Modi, were past their shelf life. Suresh Mehta, for instance, couldn't hold on to Kutch, his bastion. Even in the BJP sweep of 2002.

And that Modi has created a new political dynamic: A regional face to a national party.

''Narendra Modi is unique in one respect, that there are very few people who while existing in a national party like BJP or Congress has been able to evoke this fierce sense of regional pride,'' said Swapan Dasgupta, Modi Campaign Activist

In Narendra Modi, the BJP has found its formula for winning Gujarat. But in the process, has it lost its identity?