New Delhi: The absence of many leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Partys Parliamentary Board meeting on Friday and its national executive meet this weekend has given its rivals a chance to take potshots at the party. The Congress and the Samajwadi Party said the absence of the other BJP leaders is a sign of things to come.

Taking a dig at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rashid Alvi said, “If BJP leaders are falling ill because of Narendra Modi, then the BJP must think what impact would Narendra Modi have on the nation. My full  sympathies  with those BJP leaders who are not well.”

“BJPs  national party has got so many good leaders like Advani, Jaitley and Sushma, but they are banking on a person whose hands are full of blood. The BJP may sweep the elections in Gujarat, but that does not mean that Modi is a good candidate,” SP leader Kamal Faruqui said.

This came as reports of many BJP leaders skipping the crucial meets surfaced. Senior BJP leader LK Advani  did  not attend the partys Parliamentary Board meeting in Goa on Friday. Sources said while he is citing health concerns and will head to Goa only on Saturday, he is also upset with the latest developments over Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the party.

The question now is as to why is Advani skipping the extended Parliamentary Board meeting. A last ditch attempt is being made to block a formal announcement on Modi as campaign committee chief. The second possible reason could be to dissociate himself from the decision on Modi or to put pressure on Rajnath Singh to hold on to any announcement till the end of assembly elections. Meanwhile, many other BJP leaders would  skip the BJP national executive in Goa.