BJP president Nitin Gadkari has predicted that the saffron party would emerge as a "dark horse" in Uttar Pradesh polls saying the elected legislators there would pick up the next chief minister among themselves.
"BJP as on today has not named anyone as the chief ministerial candidate during the ongoing Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and would like to extend the freedom of choice about the future head of state to newly elected MLAs...BJP will emerge as a dark horse in polls there (Uttar Pradesh)," Gadkari, who yesterday returned here from his whirlwind tour of the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, said.
Without specifying the number of seats the saffron party would manage to pocket in Uttar Pradesh, Gadkari merely said the party was all set to improve its performance during the elections and "may end up recording good results".
Replying to a query on BJP ministers in Karnataka government caught watching a porn clip on their mobile phone in the state Assembly, Gadkari said an internal inquiry has been initiated against the trio and a definite action would be taken.
Karnataka Cooperation Minister Laxman Savadi, Women and Child Welfare Minister C C Patil and Ports Minister Krishna Palemar had to resign following an uproar over the incident.
Meanwhile, clarifying on the speculations regarding BJP's prime ministerial candidate for 2014 general elections, the party chief said, "BJP has not named any leader as the possible candidate for PM's job. The names will be declared at an opportune time.... BJP Parliamentary Board will take a final call (on the issue)".