Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi skipped the national executive committee meeting of BJP, which started today to take stock stock of the political situation in the country and to formulate a strategy to take on the ruling Congress on the issue of corruption.

Barring Modi and former Karantaka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, all prominent BJP leaders attended the two-day national meet of the party.

Modi's absence from the crucial meeting comes in the backdrop of talks of differences between him and senior party leader L K Advani.

While BJP Central leaders are silent on the growing rift between Modi and Advani, there is a buzz that this is the reason for the chief minister keeping away. Modi is said to be unhappy with Advani's yatra for good governance and clean politics starting on October 11.

Modi had reportedly even told Advani that the yatra is "unnecessary and irrelevant", according to sources.

The programme was attended by all other Chief Ministers the BJP-ruled states including Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Prem Singh Dhumal, Raman Singh, Sadanand Gowda and Arjun Munda.

The programme started with the ceremonial lighting of lamp by Advani. BJP President Nitin Gadkari, both Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Sushama Swaraj and Arun Jaitely shared the dais with the Advani.

During the two-day meet, Gadkari will discuss the programmes initiated by the party units in states and evolve a strategy to consolidate.

Jaitley will assess and apprise the delegates of the political situation in the country in the backdrop corruption issue and the latest controversy over 2G Spectrum.

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BJP leaders downplay absence of Modi from national executive

BJP leaders today downplayed the absence of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi at the party's national executive committee meeting, saying there is no infighting in the party.

"Infighting is there in the Congress and not in our Party," senior leader Murli Manohar Joshi told reporters here when asked about Modi's absence from the meeting.

Denying any rift between senior leaders of the party, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said, "There is no clash".

Barring Modi and former Karantaka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, all prominent BJP leaders attended the two-day national meet of the party.

Modi's absence from the crucial meeting comes in the backdrop of talks of differences between him and senior party leader L K Advani.

While BJP Central leaders are silent on the growing rift between Modi and Advani, there is a buzz that this is the reason for the chief minister keeping away. Modi is said to be unhappy with Advani's yatra for good governance and clean politics starting on October 11.

Modi had reportedly even told Advani that the yatra is "unnecessary and irrelevant", according to sources.