Troubled days started for Atal after the Godhra riots and their handling by the Gujarat state administration. With national and international pressure being mounted on the Atal government to change the BJP-run Gujarat government, Atal was highly embarrassed. He decided to get rid of Chief Minister Narendra Modi. But, because of the pressure mounted by the hardliners in the party led by Advani, this could not materialize. Atal had to retreat; it was the first time in so many years that his leadership had been questioned. Soon thereafter, in July 2002, Advani was promoted to the rank of deputy
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