DMK president M Karunanidhi indicated that he may not support Modi saying his party "would not go back on its ideology of opposing communalism," while Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress said it was an internal matter of BJP.
NDA allies Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Shiv Sena, however, hailed the decision saying it reflected the mood of the people.
"We simply cannot be bothered", Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury told reporters when asked how Congress sees the Gujarat Chief Minister as the PM candidate of the BJP.
"How does it make a difference? How does it matter to us?", Chowdhury asked just hours after the party accused RSS of forcing a decision on BJP over declaring Modi its Prime Ministerial candidate.
"A Nagpur-based shadowy cabal of unaccountable geriatric gentlemen in period attire can ram decisions down BJP's throat and call it internal democracy," Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari alleged in a tweet before Modi was announced as BJP's prime ministerial candidate.
"There could be possibly nothing more undemocratic than this," he said.
Asked if Modi poses a challenge to the Congress, he said, "We will be in election mode soon. As and when it comes, we shall deal with all political parties".
Veteran CPI leader A B Bardhan said it would only pave the way for a revolt in BJP.
Samajwadi Party, which is an outside ally of UPA, said people will never accept Modi, his ideology and policies.
"His dream will never come true", said party leader Naresh Agrawal.
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