New Delhi: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) LK Advani has informed the party leadership that he will not be interested in working for the party if Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is projected as the party's prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, sources said.
Advani told BJP President Rajnath Singh and senior party leader Sushma Swaraj that he would take a backseat if the party goes ahead with Modi. Advani conveyed his decision when Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj went to his residence to try and convince him on Modi.
Even though Advani has remained adamant on supporting Modi, Rajnath Singh called his allies - Shriromani Akali Dal chief Parkash Singh Badal and Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray - and informed them that Modi will be the party's prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The formal announcement on Modi will be made by the BJP leadership at 5 pm on Friday.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said Rajnath Singh had discussed Narendra Modi's candidature with Uddhav Thackeray about 10 minutes back. "Rajnath Singhji informed Uddhav Thackeray of the decision on PM candidate they are planning to take. He has informed Uddhavji about the decision BJP is planning to take and sought our support," he said.
Advani has been insisting that announcing Modi's name at this stage could adversely impact the party's performance in the Assembly polls in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh later in 2013.
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