Modi arrives in Mumbai to attend BJP national executive

Mumbai, May 24 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Thursday evening to participate in the Bharatiya Janata Party's national executive meeting.

"I will land in Mumbai at around 3: 15 p.m.," Modi told the media earlier in the day in Rajasthan's Udaipur city.

BJP President Nitin Gadkari earlier today said Modi has agreed to be present at the party's national executive.

"I had talks with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and he will be present at the party's national executive. He has assured me that he will stand with me shoulder-to-shoulder and work for the party. Whatever controversies were raised on this issue, has totally come to an end," said Gadkari.

"I welcome Modi. And after the ending of this episode, I am happy that in this present condition we will together work to strengthen the future of our country," he added.

The Gujarat Chief Minister's decision to attend the national executive meeting, being held at Mumbai's Yashwant Rao Centre, came after Sanjay Joshi decided to resign as an invitee on the national executive.

Joshi, a strong critic of Modi, had earlier in a letter to Gadkari said that he is relinquishing his post in the larger interests of the party.

Modi was reportedly upset over Joshi's induction in the BJP, and had not even campaigned for the party in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.

Joshi, an old RSS hand, was also given the important charge of handling the poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh. (ANI)