Vajpayee was thwarted over Modi exit, reveals Shourie

NEW DELHI, Aug 25: Supporters of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi thwarted then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who wanted Modi to quit over the 2002 communal violence, according to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Shourie. In an interview to NDTV news channel, Shourie alleged that the party almost “orchestrated a coup” against Vajpayee over Modi’s future when the BJP national executive met in Goa in 2002.

Shourie recalled that the BJP had made up its mind to sack Modi following the 2002 violence that left over 1,000 people dead. Most victims were Muslims. Shourie claimed that party veteran LK Advani was to ask Modi to quit at the Goa meeting but things turned out to be quite the opposite.
Shourie, who called Modi prime minister material in the run-up to this year’s Lok Sabha elections, said: “It was definitely decided that when we get down (from the plane in Goa), Advaniji will ring up Modi and say in the (national executive) ... offer to resign. (The) meeting starts, speeches start? Atalji and Advaniji are sitting on (the) stage. Modi got up and said ‘mujhe kuch kehna hai (I want to say something)’ and he offered to resign”.

Sensex continues winning streak

MUMBAI, Aug 25: Despite weak global markets, Indian equities continued their winning streak for the fourth consecutive session on Tuesday, with a key index ending 60 points higher than its previous close. The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened lower 15,573.91 points, ended at 15,688.47 points, up 59.72 points or 0.38 per cent.

After opening 55 points lower on weak global cues, the index slipped to a low of 15,423.39 points, but managed to crawl back into the green on fresh buying. It touched an intra-day high of 15,735.32 points. The broader-based Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also closed in the positive terrain at 4,659.35 points, up 36 per cent.