Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi could be officially declared as the BJP’s PM candidate after the Assembly polls in five states. While the Shiromani Akali Dal has reportedly agreed to the suggestion, talks were on with Shiv Sena over the issue.
It was being perceived by the top leadership that naming Mr Modi as the PM candidate was the only way to “stop sniper attacks from within”, sources said. Some in the party feel that led by Mr L.K. Advani, some leaders were trying to “create confusion and demoralise the party cadre”. An Advani loyalist, Mr Jaswant Singh on Saturday opposed any move to name Mr Modi as the PM candidate.
BJP chief Rajnath Singh, who is in Himachal Pradesh, has been giving clear indications that the stage is set to name Mr Modi as the party’s face for the 2014 general elections. The RSS top brass, which includes general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi, joint general secretary Suresh Soni and senior leaders Dattatreya Hosbole and Krishna Gopal, have also asked the BJP to clear the decks for formally announcing Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial nominee. The RSS, however, wants Modi to be named ahead of the Assembly polls. The Modi camp was of the opinion that the party should await the Assembly poll results before taking the decisive step, sources said.