Modi meets Advani, top party leaders

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PTI , New Delhi :
Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi on Sunday called on party patriarch L K Advani after holding consultation with a number of party leaders including his key aide Amit Shah here ahead of the formation of the next government headed by him.
Apparently to signal that the 86-year-old leader is being kept in the loop over key decisions, party general secretary Ananth Kumar also visited Advani’s residence before Modi’s arrival.
The meetings at Advani’s residence come a day after the BJP Parliamentary Board, the highest decision-making body of the party, met here for the first time after the landslide victory in the Lok Sabha elections to decide issues related to government formation.
Modi was welcomed by all leaders, including Advani who greeted him with sweets and an embrace yesterday.
Before the start of the meeting at the party headquarters, Modi had first greeted Advani and bent towards him in a gesture of respect. Advani had then embraced him.
Advani was initially opposed to anointment of Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate and had even resigned last year from all posts in protest, only to change his decision a day later.
It was decided yesterday that Modi will be formally elected as the leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party at its meeting here on May 20 ahead of taking oath as the Prime Minister.

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