Thackeray denies making Modi-related remark

Shiv Sena head Uddhav Thackeray Saturday denied making any remarks on the projection of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as BJP's prime ministerial candidate of the Lok Sabha elections in 2014.

Thackeray said that it was for the BJP to decide on its prime ministerial candidate and then consult allies like the Shiv Sena and the Akali Dal.

The Shiv Sena chief said that his Friday statement that the country needed a reliable face was in the context of the Congress which was rling the country. He blamed media for misreading his statement.

He said he conveyed his best wishes to Modi when he visited his residence after being appointed head of the BJP's central campaign committee.

Thackeray said when his father Bal Thackeray endorsed the name of Sushma Swaraj at that point of time no other name was making the rounds for BJP's prime ministerial aspirant.

Refusing to entertain question whether next Lok Sabha election would be "Rahul Gandhi vs Narendra Modi", Thackeray said: "Get over all these things. Talk of corruption, unemployment and slide of rupee despite the prime minister being an economist."