Uttar Pradesh BJP wooing Narendra Modi?

The hoardings, outside the BJP office in front of the state assembly, refer to 'Rashtra Dharm' (national duty), a departure from the 'Raj Dharma' that Vajpayee told Modi to follow after the Gujarat riots of 2002.

The hoardings also refer to Somnath and Red Fort.

BJP MP from Lucknow Lalji Tandon has said he would be "more than happy" if Modi contests the Lok Sabha election from Lucknow, which was earlier held by Vajpayee.

"It would be a matter of great joy if the party decides to bring Modi contests from Lucknow," he said.

While most party leaders in the state unit do not agree with Tandon, who was Vajpayee's election manager, they admit that Modi was "by far the tallest leader in the BJP".