Ahmedabad:  It’s the most awaited moment of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L K Advani’s 38-day anti-corruption yatra. After reportedly being denied permission by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to begin his ambitious Jan Chetna Yatra from the state, the old poster boy, Mr Advani, navigated today into the stronghold of Mr Modi – the new poster boy of saffron politics.

Mr Advani was welcomed by his perceived rival, Mr Modi. The two BJP stalwarts also shared a common stage, however, they did not sit together.

The BJP has been marred by a much-publicised reported rift between the two leaders over the yatra. Mr Modi was apparently miffed with Mr Advani’s yatra plans and viewed it as the latter’s efforts to position himself as the party’s prime ministerial candidate. Mr Advani had announced his ambitious yatra against corruption soon after Mr Modi’s hugely-successful three-day Sadbhavana fast in September. The Gujarat Chief Minister, tainted for his alleged role in the 2002 riots in the state, promoted his fast as one for peace and amity. His cause was helped by the Supreme Court’s denial to look into the merits of a case alleging his involvement in one of the riot cases. The court instead transferred the case to a lower court in Gujarat. Emboldened by the court’s order, Mr Modi began, what was held by many as an image-makeover exercise and an effort to position himself as the chosen candidate by his party for the PM’s post. It was smooth sailing as flanked by his mentor LK Advani as well as other party stalwarts at the fast venue, Mr Modi rounded off the mission as a major success.

But Mr Advani’s announcement to embark on a nationwide anti-corruption yatra reportedly upset Mr Modi. His no forced the start of Mr Advani’s yatra from Gujarat to Bihar. But now, Mr Modi for his Delhi ambitions has backtracked. Mr Advani has been his mentor, and to beat his rivals in the BJP, Mr Modi needs to keep the party’s final arbiter on his side.

Interestingly, while Mr Advani will try to show Mr Modi’s presence by his side to prove he is the boss, Mr Modi will try to signal that he has the patriarch’s support. This is bound to confuse the cadres in Gujarat, who have been preparing for Mr Modi’s coronation – They are now being asked to mobilise masses for Mr Advani. What’s worse, BJP president Nitin Gadkari, by announcing that he will contest the next Lok Sabha polls, has added to the BJP’s prime ministerial race.

The BJP wants the Gujarat leg of Mr Advani’s yatra to be over soon. The party’s assessment is that, in stronghold Gujarat, the anti-corruption yatra will focus less on UPA’s shortcomings, and more on the unresolved leadership issue in the BJP.

Addressing the crowd, Mr Advani took on the Prime Minister once again. He said that no one will forgive Manmohan Singh for the rampant corruption in his government, the numerous scams and his handling of the issue.

“I said this before also, when he had not become the PM, I respected him… I used to consider him a capable, credible person but the corruption he showed to win 2008 elections, I don’t think anyone can forgive him after that. They even tried to bribe three parliamentarians of our party,” said Mr Advani.