'Difficult task' before BJP to 'zero down' on PM candidate: Rajiv Shukla

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla on Saturday said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is internally divided over their Prime Ministerial candidate.

"Not only in BJP, but also in the entire NDA, there are internal squabbles over the candidature of the Prime Ministership. They have not been able to zero down on one candidate and I think it is going to be a difficult task," Shukla said, while commenting on reports that BJP will announce Modi as its Prime Ministerial candidate next week.

Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati took a jibe at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, and said that he is trying to fulfill his personal aspirations to become the Prime Minister at his rally in Chhattisgarh today.

"There is a lot of controversy regarding Narendra Modi. The Bharatiya Janata Party hasn't decided on its Prime Ministerial candidate. I think until then, Modi is aiming to fulfill his aspirations to occupy the coveted post through conducting rallies like this," Mayawati said.

As the 2014 Lok Sabha elections draw closer, reports suggest that the BJP is likely to announce Modi as their Prime Ministerial candidate early next week.

Reports have suggested that BJP president Rajnath Singh, who held back the announcement in the hope of achieving unanimity on Modi, has decided to go ahead despite continuing reservations from a couple of senior leaders.

Singh conveyed his readiness to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday, and followed that up by apprising former party chief Murli Manohar Joshi of the same on Thursday.

However, according to reports BJP stalwart Lal Krishna Advani and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj continue to have misgivings about the desirability of anointing Modi at this juncture.

The BJP and RSS leaders are expected to meet on Sunday in Delhi and take a decision in the matter.