CM hope: Rajnath not eager, others more than eager

Home Minister Rajnath Singh's closest advisors have tried to nip in the bud the buzz that he is agreeable to be the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) chief ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh in the run-up to Assembly polls in the state next year. Those in Singh's camp fear that a loss for the BJP in the state might dent his image as not only the home minister but also effectively the number two in the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. Meanwhile, the party leadership has indicated to other CM aspirants to curb their ambition and rein in their supporters. These include Sultanpur Lok Sabha member Varun Gandhi, Gorakhpur Lok Sabha member Yogi Adityanath and Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani. The leadership hasn't taken kindly to posters in some cities of UP projecting Gandhi as a CM candidate.