No split in NDA over PM candidate for 2014 poll: Nitin Gadkari

 BJP on Thursday claimed there was no divide in NDA on the issue of its Prime Ministerial candidate for 2014 parliamentary polls and said a decision will be taken only after consulting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who is reportedly opposed to Narendra Modi filling the slot.

BJP President Nitin Gadkari dismissed reports of a growing split in NDA on Modi, Gujarat Chief Minister, being the PM candidate.

"I have promised Nitish Kumar that he will be consulted before a decision is taken. I have discussed at length the Modi issue with Nitish. At an appropriate time, we'll decide on the PM candidate and that will happen only after talks with Nitish Kumar," Gadkari said in an interview to Headlines Today.

Gadkari broke his silence on the Nitish-Modi rift, L K Advani's controversial statements and his own handling of the party which has come under the scanner.

He said that as far as he was concerned, there was no problem with Nitish Kumar on Narendra Modi being projected as the face of NDA in the 2014 elections.

"Modi is one of the six PM candidates of BJP along with Advani, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and M M Joshi. No decision has been taken yet," he said.

He refuted reports that after Gujarat elections, Modi will be projected as Chairman, National Campaign Committee of NDA.

Asked if Nitish's choice for PM is Advani, he said, "I don't know what is on Nitish's mind regarding Advani. He has not mentioned any name to me."