Narendra Modi to be announced PM candidate on Friday? BJP leaders asked to gather in Delhi

Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) is all set to appoint Narendra Modi as their choice of president candidate, despite opposition from senior party leader LK Advani.

Intense debates are going on in BJP camp to convince Advani to allow BJP to declare Gujarat Chief Minister as PM candidate. The decision could be made as early as tomorrow night. 

BJP Parliamentary Board to meet tomorrow at 5 pm to decide on declaring Narendra Modi as the party's Prime Ministerial candidate.

All party leaders have been asked to report to Delhi before Friday afternoon for a parliamentary board meeting. It is expected that a formal announcement is due after the meeting.

Senior leader, Nitin Gadkari arrived in Delhi and is expected to hold a late night meeting with Rajnath Singh. According to television news reports, Gadkari went to LK Advani's residence directly from Delhi airport.

Party leader, Rajnath Singh was in a one-hour-long meeting with Sushma Swaraj. Television reports indicated that Sushma Swaraj is onboard and is expected to support the candidature of Narendra Modi as the BJP's candidate for post of PM.

Modi candidature is also finding support from factions external to BJP. Former Law Minister Ram Jethmalani questioned the capabilities of LK Advani and said that he does not think that the senior leader can even win an election.

"I don't think he (Advani) can win even an election now. He is playing a role I didn't expect him to play at this age, said former union law minister, and Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani. He further said that although he is more qualified than all other PM candidates put together, he feels Modi is the best option. He is an Avatar", said Jethmalani. 

Support also poured in from yogguru Baba Ramdev. Calling him as the 'most suitable person' Ramdev take a direct dig at Congress vice president, Rahul Gandhi.

"People like Pappu don't have the ability and experience to run the government”, he said.

Former Bihar chief minister Sushil Modi's anti-Modi comment were criticised by JD(U) party.

Calling Sushil Modi as the 'Kalyugi child out to abuse parents, Shivanand Tiwari said that he has failed to gauge the mood of the public.

Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal a staunch ally of BJP left the decision of announcing the PM candidate with the party.

"It is upto BJP if they want to announce (Narendra) Modi ji or anyone else as PM candidate, we are with them in all decisions", the party leadership affirmed.

BJP party members mood suggest that the announcement is a mere formality and a matter of time.

All party leaders have been asked to reach Delhi by Friday afternoon. 

News reports suggest that Rajnath Singh will hold a formal parliamentary board meeting ahead of the big announcement.

The party head is likely to go ahead with the decision despite opposition from Advani.

The party leadership will like to avoid the June embarrassment, when Advani had quit from all posts after Modi was named the head of BJP’s campaign committee for the Lok Sabha polls. He returned to the party fold only after the intervention by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

Reference: http://daily.bhaskar.com/national  .