BJP, RSS seen agreeing on Modi as PM candidate

The BJP's parliamentary board is expected next week to make an announcement

Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday appeared to have reached a consensus on projecting Narendra Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate and a meeting of BJP's highest decision- making body Parliamentary Board is expected next week to make the announcement.

The decision to formally declare Modi's candidature is understood to have been taken despite reservations of senior BJP leaders L K Advani and Sushma Swaraj, who wanted the announcement, at least, to be postponed till after the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi.

After a two-day meeting of the top leadership of the Sangh Parivar which concluded this evening, there were indications that a go-ahead has been given for projecting the Gujarat Chief Minister and the decision will be announced by BJP by September 19.

Besides RSS and BJP, the meeting was attended by leaders of 13 affiliates of the Sangh Parivar like VHP.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and VHP leader Praveen Togadia attended the meeting today, while Modi and Advani attended the meeting yesterday.

Sources said BJP is expected to convene a meeting of the Parliamentary Board sometime between September 13 and 19 to take a final call on the PM candidate issue.

Reports that Modi and other Parliamentary Board members will be in Delhi on September 14 has led to murmurs that the meeting may be convened on that day. Modi will address a BJP rally in Rewari, Haryana the next day.

However, if the Board is not able to meet on September 14, it is likely to meet before September 20 when the inauspicious 'pitrapaksh' period starts.