"Modi for votes. Advani for allies" seems to be the agenda of RSS to ensure formation of NDA government at the Centre after the 2014 general elections.
According to a carefully-crafted political strategy of the Sangh Parivar, the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi will be the face of the party only till the end of the election campaign.
After the polls, in order to attract more alliance partners to shore up the required numbers for formation of the government, it wants the octogenarian leader L K Advani to be made Prime Minister for a specific period of about two years.
After making the NDA as broad-based alliance as possible by roping in more number of allies who will not have problem with Advani heading it, the veteran leader would fulfill "temporary arrangement" before the baton is handed over to Modi mid-way through the tenure.
The advancing age of Advani is likely to be cited as the reason for change of leadership and he himself would be proposing the name of Modi to take over the mantle.
By this way, the RSS wants to see that the NDA begins its innings on a strong ground and then ensure a smooth transition of power.
There is no doubt that Modi is the main vote-catcher for the party at this juncture.
An overwhelming majority of the BJP cadre and the people, especially the youth of the country, want Modi to lead the campaign for change of government at the Centre.
There is a growing sense of disenchantment with the UPA regime and Modi is seen as an agent of change.
However, the BJP is faced with a peculiar dilemma here, While it needs Modi to garner Lok Sabha seats, the post-poll scenario marked by a fractured mandate will require somebody who is acceptable to a large number of regional parties.
It is here that the gambit of naming Advani as Prime Ministerial candidate of a broad-based alliance would come into play to help the saffron party in capturing power.
The move will also satisfy Advani to realize his life-time ambition of becoming Prime Minister in the evening of his long, chequered political career.
At the same time, Modi will be made to feel that he would eventually take over the mantle from the party's seniormost leader and carry forward the NDA agenda.
Moreover, Modi will have to discharge his responsibilities as the Gujarat Chief Minister till the next Assembly elections due in 2017.
