NDA "fully united" to decide PM candidate: BJP

While Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray had caused a flutter in BJP yesterday when he said Sushma Swaraj is the most suited candidate from BJP to be Prime Minister, JD(U) President Sharad Yadav today added to the main opposition's discomfiture when he said his party will contest coming Gujarat assembly elections on its own and not as part of NDA.

Though BJP's initial reply to Thackeray's comments were guarded, it fielded spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain today for damage control.

"NDA is fully united and we will form the government after the next general elections. We, as well as the people, have no doubt about that we will come to power. Since we are going to form the next government, we are often the topic of discussions these days," Hussain said.

Asked about NDA's Prime Ministerial candidate, he gave the cliched reply of the coalition taking "the appropriate decision at the appropriate time". (more)