BJP parliamentary board may name PM candidate Friday

The BJP parliamentary board may meet Friday and make the announcement of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the party's prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, party sources said.

They said there was a broad opinion in favour of announcing Modi's name though there were some leaders who feel that a decision on projecting Modi should be taken after assembly polls in five states later this year.

"Meeting of parliamentary board will take place in the coming days. It may take place Sep 13," a party leader said.

Modi is the Bharatiya Janata Party's campaign committee chief for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Party leaders L.K. Advani and Sushma Swaraj are learnt to be of opinion that a decision on Modi's projection as prime ministerial candidate should be taken after the assembly polls. However, party sources said there is pressure from party cadres in favour of an announcement.

Some senior leaders are also of firm opinion that a clarity on the issue of prime ministerial candidate will work to the advantage of the party and help it gather electoral momentum vis-a-vis the Congress.

They said that sections of party feel that announcement on Modi should be made before the start of election process to five states, expected by the third week of September.

Rashtriya Swaymsevak Sangh, the ideological fountainhead of BJP, has already given its opinion to the party on the choice of prime ministerial candidate, source said.

The party has repeatedly said that a decision on prime ministerial candidate will be taken by the parliamentary board at an appropriate time.