Amidst growing demand to project Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, the saffron party today ruled out any pressure from its allies on the issue and said the decision would be taken at an appropriate time.
"The BJP is under no pressure from the allies, including the JD(U), to declare its prime ministerial candidate," national spokesperson Syed Shahanwaz Hussain said.
It was for the party's 12-member parliamentary board to take a final decision on the matter at an appropriate time, he said.
The party was aware of the popular demand, he said without taking Modi's name.
"We value our association with the JD(U) and respect its views as it has been our oldest ally, besides the Shiv Sena, and we cannot forget the fact that these two parties forged alliance with us when the others considered us untouchables," Hussain said.
Ruling out any ill will between the two allies over the difference between some leaders of either side ever since JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar made his reservation about Modi known, he said, "The relation between the BJP and JD(U) are as sweet today as it has ever been and there should be no doubt about it."
Hussain, at the same time, categorically rejected the accusation by a section of JD(U) leaders about Modi being a 'communal' leader, saying it "was grossly unfair for anybody to dub an individual leader of our party as communal."
"We are collectively secular or communal. As being charged by some of our detractors...It cannot be fair to brand a particular leader as communal and certify the party as secular," he said.
Asked about claims that the next general election will be fought between Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Hussain said polls were not like a cricket match. They would be contested between the BJP and the Congress-led alliance.
