The BJP, which has declared that it has launched itself into an election mode, is yet undecided about its candidate for the prime minister's post.
NEW DELHI: The BJP, which has declared that it has launched itself into an election mode, is yet undecided about its candidate for the prime minister's post in the event of a snap poll.
"Both Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani are our top leaders. But the BJP's parliamentary board will decide this ( the party's prime ministerial candidate)," senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra told.
He was asked who his party would project as its candidate for the top job following his colleague Yashwant Sinha's remarks to a news channel that a leader of opposition in India does not necessarily become prime minister when his or her party comes to power.
Sinha, who had been virtually sidelined in the party when Advani was its president, cited Congress chief Sonia Gandhi as an example, saying she too did not become prime minister although she was leader of opposition during the NDA rule.
Asked whether it meant that Advani should not be considered PM-in-waiting, he said "No, this is not what I am saying...whenever a decision is taken on the issue within the party and the NDA, you will be told.
BJP spokesman Javadekar said "BJP is neither a one-book party or a one-leader party. We have a collective leadership and all decisions are taken collectively".
"You should understand the style of functioning of our party....Atalji is our tallest leader. Advaniji is also our leader. Rajnath Singh is our party president. That is why Atalji and Advaniji will jointly decide on the issue.
"As soon as elections are announced, Atalji will make the announcement (of the party's nominee)."
The former deputy prime minister, who believes elections could take place anytime now because of strains in ties between the ruling UPA and its Left supporters over the nuclear deal, has already directed his party MPs to visit their consituencies immediately after the monsoon session of Parliament and prepare for a snap poll.
"We have launched ourselves into election mode," remarked party general secretary Arun Jaitley after a recent party meeting to assess the BJP's position in the light of any possible general election.
Faced with massive dissidence in states where it is in power, the BJP, whose ties with allies Shiv Sena and the Trinamool Congress have taken a nosedive, has begun exploring new alliance options in a bid to strengthen the NDA.
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