Dehradun, Sep 7 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, known for his hardline Hindutva ideology, hogged the limelight at the national executive met of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here Thursday.

There was a dramatic change in the atmosphere as soon as Modi arrived at the venue of the meet. Party activists surrounded him and greeted him by shouting "Vande Mataram".

"The welcome he received was in stark contrast to the lukewarm response senior party leaders such as L.K. Advani or president Rajnath Singh received," a BJP national executive member told IANS.

"Whatever his detractors may say, it is clear that his support base in the party is expanding much faster than that of any other leader," the party functionary added.

Outside the venue, the BJP workers rushed to have a glimpse of the man often described as Hidnutva's poster-boy. Modi's security staff had a tough time as they tried to maintain the security cordon around him.

"Modi is one leader who has not compromised on the ideological issues and that is why we like him," a senior BJP leader from Uttaranchal said.

The view was echoed by many party activists from various states, who are here to attend the national executive.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee failed to make it here Thursday, the first day of the three-day meet.

"He is not well and we are not sure whether he would be able to come here in the next two days. We are hopeful, though," a senior BJP leader said.

Vajpayee is scheduled to kick off the party's election campaign for Uttaranchal with a rally in this state capital Friday.