Nitish on Modi in the prime ministerial stakes

The Chief Minister, however, immediately denied has having given any such interview and said that 'The Week', the magazine concerned, had removed it from the website. The Week maintained that the interview had been conducted.

The magazine quoted Nitish, a senior JD(U) leader, as having said that he will discontinue his alliance with the BJP "within minutes" if Modi was made the prime ministerial candidate.

The chief minister was also quoted as having said that if the Congress promises to meet his demands he was open to the idea of a post-poll tie-up with that party after the next Lok Sabha elections. General Elections are due in 2014.