Has Narendra Modi become a political pariah?

New Delhi: On day two of Anna Hazare's fast in the national capital, the focus was not on the Anshan but the moves and counter moves behind the Anshan. Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, who is supposed to be joining Anna Hazare on his fast, has become a subject of bitter dispute within Team Anna for his alleged closeness to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Reacting to the development, Team Anna termed it as a personal choice of the yoga guru.

Team Anna member Kiran Bedi said, "It is Baba's personal choice who he wants to meet."

This even as another key member of the team, Arvind Kejriwal, hit out at the Gujarat Chief Minister saying, "Narendra Modi is a mass murderer."

The split was wide open within Team Anna on Baba Ramdev's decision of sharing dais with Narendra Modi. It was at a function in Gujarat, where Ramdev not only was on the same stage with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, but also showered praises on him.

However, Team Anna tried to downplay the development.

Kumar Viswas said, "Anna and Baba are together on corruption. Modi is the Chief Minister of a state. Swami Ramdev has the right to meet who he wants."

However, it is not the first time that being filmed with Modi has created problems for others.

First it was an innocuous Modi interview by Shahid Siddiqui, which led to his ouster from the Samajwadi Party. Then it was Baba Ramdev, who shared a stage with him. And then there is Congress leader Vijay Darda, who was forced to issue a clarification hours after being filmed together with Modi.

Darda had said, "Narendra Modi is a tiger and national saint."

Reacting to it, the Gujarat Chief Minister said, "I hope this does not become breaking news in tomorrow's papers and he is summoned by Congress high command asking for resignation."

So is courting Modi equal to courting trouble? Even Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was quick to do a U-turn after first sharing a stage before 2009 polls, and then shaking hands at a Home Ministry meet in the capital.

BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad reacted on the issue saying, "A culture of political untouchability is now gaining ground."

The only class that has not gotten into trouble while backing Narendra Modi is the capitalist class. From Ambani brothers to Ratan Tata to host of business tycoons, many of them have been a part of Modi for PM chorus. But then, capital has no political affinity.

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