BJP parliamentary board to take final call on PM candidate: Lekhi

Even as hectic parleys are on to acquire unanimity on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's candidature for the Prime Minister's post in 2014, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Meenakshi Lekhi on Thursday said there is no friction within its fold, and added that the party's parliamentary board would take a final call on this issue.

Lekhi, who was asked to comment on Sushil Modi's advisory for party stalwart L.K. Advani to gauge the public mood and not create hurdles in the way of a Narendra Modi-for-PM announcement, said the party's Bihar leader has made a comment in his individual capacity.

"But, I am the party's spokesperson and the parliamentary board will sit from the party's side. And, whatever decision will be taken in the parliamentary board, will be presented before you all," said Lekhi.

Lekhi, who is the BJP's spokesperson, also attempted to shift the issue towards the ruling Congress Party.

"You should ask the Congress who their prime ministerial candidate is," she added.

BJP President Rajnath Singh earlier in the day said a decision on the party's prime ministerial candidate will be taken after discussions and consultations.

"We will decide after the talks are held," he told media here, when asked as to when the BJP would come out with the name of its prime ministerial candidate.

The BJP chief is making sincere efforts to bring all senior leaders on board for officially naming Modi as the party's prime ministerial candidate.

Advani, 85, is appearing to be a stumbling block for the saffron outfit in finalising the name of Modi as its prime ministerial candidate.

Several attempts have been made by senior leaders to convince Advani, who had resigned from all party posts when Modi was appointed the election campaign committee chief in Goa earlier this year.

The BJP President even met the stalwart at the latter's residence here yesterday, but failed to convince him.

According to certain media reports, Advani has reportedly told Rajnath Singh that fronting Modi as the party's candidate for Prime Minister will be a 'disaster' and will 'destroy the BJP's prospects' in the general elections next year.

Other than Advani, senior BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Murli Manohar Joshi are also opposed to announcing Modi as the prime ministerial candidate before the forthcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is the BJP's ideological mentor, is of the view that any delay in announcing Modi's candidature will not do any good to the party's prospects in the general elections.