Reactions of regional parties on Modi's selection as BJP's PM candidate

BJP today in its parliamentary board meeting selected Narendra Modi as its PM candidate

Narendra Modi, BJP’s poster boy has finally been anointed the party's Prime Ministerial candidate. Infact, his elevation itself a few months back as Election campaign 2014 chief had miffed the Janata Dal(United) and caused it to break away from the NDA, but Modi himself has been doing his bit to extend the olive branch to regional parties. Regional satraps are divided in their views on Narendra Modi.

Addressing a rally in Hyderabad recently, he appealed to the Telugu Desam Party  exhorting the legacy of NT Rama Rao. Dodging a direct reply to Modi’s invitation, TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu restricted himself to extolling NTR’s legacy saying, "Everyone knows NTR's contribution to the formation of non-Congress governments at the Centre. Out of the four non-Congress governments, three were formed due to the efforts of TDP. NTR was instrumental in the formation of National Front government in 1989".

Modi had also used the occasion to appeal to old ally,  AIADMK . Its supremo Jayalalitha has gone on record to call him her “good friend” The Tamil Nadi chief minister had said  “At a personal level, I will only say that Mr. Narendra Modi is a good friend of mine, my good wishes are always with him and whether he wins the election in Gujarat or whether he achieves an elevation in his own party, I am happy for him.”

Trinamool Congress  supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the other hand has categorically stated her party would never support BJP leader Narendra Modi. "We do not support Narendra Modi, nor will we support him (in future)". For Banerjee, the minority vote is crucial and she would not to be seen risking that.

Bihar based Rashtriya Janata Dal ( RJD)  too banks on the Muslim vote and is averse to siding up with Modi. Party chief Laloo Yadav recently while rooting for Congress scion Rahul Gandhi as PM went on record to say that BJP was communal. “Both Advani's and NaMo's dream of becoming PM will remain a dream. Communal forces will be thrown out in 2014”, said Yadav.

The Left parties have been unequivocal in their condemnation of Narendra Modi. The   CPI(M) has even released a booklet targeting Modi, titled, “The BJP Model for India: Vikas Purush and Vinash Niti” focussing on Modi and his alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots. The Left parties recently called for Modi’s prosecution and demanded that he step down as CM.

For Janata Dal (United)  who broke of its 17 year alliance with the NDA pointedly over Narendra Modi has throughout been critical of the Gujarat CM. JD(U) leader Shivanand Tiwari had even before the split stated, "Sardar Patel's image should not be spoilt....His personality was one that built. Narendra Modi's personality is divisive. Had he been here, Sardar Patel would have held him by his ear and pulled him out of power." Spokesperson KC Tyagi  last week told Business Standard, “Narendra Modi is not PM material.”

NDA ally Shiv Sena  has expectedly come out in support of Narendra Modi with Sanjay Raut this morning said, “Yes, we will win 100% if we fight under Narendra Modi.”

Orissa chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik has of late been critical of Narendra Modi and gone on record to say that Naveen Patnaik is reported to have stated that Modi is not acceptable at the national level.

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha, which was a partner in BJP led NDA before severing its ties just prior to 2009 elections, was ambivalent in its response to Modi's “naming of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as the party’s prime ministerial candidate for the next general election will not have any impact on the party’s prospects in Odisha”. Prasanna Acharya, a senior vice-president of BJD and state finance minister today said, “The strength of the regional parties is growing in different states. With the next general election going to see a hung parliament as no single party is in a position to get absolute majority, BJD will play an important role in the formation of government at the Centre. BJD will not have any pre-election alliance. But we are a non-Congress party and will maintain that character. As far as the post-poll alliance is concerned we will cross the bridge when the time comes”.