BJP frowns on Bihar unit's Modi-for-PM resolution

The resolution by BJP's Bihar unit to declare Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the party's prime ministerial candidate has not gone down well with party leaders as it could lead to other state units indulging in similar exercise, party sources said.

They said that Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh touched the issue during his address at the party's election campaign committee meeting here Sunday and said there was no need for such resolutions.

The sources said that Rajnath Singh told the gathering, which included state unit chiefs, that the leadership was seized of the question of prime ministerial candidate and "a call will be taken in the interest of the party".

"The party president conveyed that states should not force the issue," a party leader told IANS.

BJP's Bihar unit had adopted a resolution urging the BJP central parliamentary board to make the announcement on Modi as prime ministerial candidate. Modi is the chief of campaign committee for BJP for the 2014 elections.

Party sources said that the leadership has apprehensions that such resolutions can create problems as it would amount to forcing a decision on an issue which is in domain of central leadership.

They said that there was even a remote possibility of state units differing in their recommendations of prime ministerial candidate which would present a picture of disunity in the party.

The sources said that Modi in his speech referred to sections of minorities gravitating towards the BJP.

Modi, they said, called for catching imagination of this section of minorities and reaching out to other sections.

He also laid emphasis young voters and on booth level workers reaching every household with the party's message.

Senior party leader L. K. Advani, in his remarks, said that reaching out to voters in their homes was time-tested method of campaign which had borne good results for the party earlier.

Advani expressed satisfaction that the party was laying emphasis on reaching out to voters in their homes as part of its election preparations for the 2014 elections.