Amid growing clamour for declaring Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi BJP's campaign committee head, party leader Yashwant Sinha today said a decision on the leadership issue is unlikely at the Goa National Executive meet as it is too large a body to discuss it.
Virtually putting at rest reports that the announcement of Modi as campaign committee chief is imminent, he said such a decision will be taken by the Parliamentary Board.
Asked if leadership issue is the focus of the Goa conclave, Sinha told CNN-IBN in an interview, "The National Executive of the BJP is too large as a body to discuss leadership issues... The BJP has already made it very clear that these issues will be decided in the Parliamentary Board."
He said the Parliamentary Board is authorised to discuss and take a decision on these issues.
The two-day National Executive meet will discuss the economic and political situation in the country and issues of foreign policy.
In reply to a question on who will be BJP's leader in the 2014 general elections, Sinha said, "I will not go into that question right now. As far as the leadership issue is concerned, most certainly we should in good time decide who will lead us in the 2014 elections."
He was evasive when asked if Modi should lead the party as he is the most popular leader, saying, "I leave it to the Parliamentary Board at this stage."
The former finance minister accepted that it is essential for the BJP to be united. "If the impression has gone or gained ground that it is not a united front then we should try and correct that and move forward in a united fashion."
He described the pending Food Security Bill as a "disaster waiting to happen".
"It will open floodgates of corruption and the BJP should take a firm view of that," Sinha said. His party has said it is ready to support the Bill with some amendments.
