A day after BJP MP Ram Jethmalani claimed that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is also in favour of projecting Narendra Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the party in 2014, the organisation has reiterated the known position that it was for the BJP to decide on the issue.
The RSS chief told television channels he has nothing to say on the subject and it was for Mr. Jethmalani to clarify.
“I told Mr. Bhagwat that Mr. Modi has better chance and is more qualified than anybody else … My impression, distinctly, was that Mr. Bhagwat agreed with me on the issue,” Mr. Jethmalani told a news channel.
However, RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav said the issue of the Prime Ministerial candidate is the BJP’s prerogative.
“Meetings do take place. Whether the Sarsanghchalak was affirmative ( regarding Mr. Jethmalani's view), only he can tell you... You have one version of it. The other version can only be given by the RSS chief,” he said.
Mr. Madhav said party leaders meet Mr. Bhagwat and express their views on a range of subjects. The RSS position on most of the on organisational matters is that it is for the party to decide.
“These issues are all prerogative of the party,” Mr. Madhav said, stressing that RSS has a long standing position that “such issues will only be decided by the party.”
Two days ago Mr. Jethmalani had written to BJP chief Nitin Gadkari saying the party should project Mr. Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate.
“It is my view that our campaign pre-2014 can make no impression unless... we are agreed on who is going to be the Prime Minister if the BJP is in a commanding position. I do not think the choice is difficult. I would, myself, want Mr. Modi whose integrity and administrative ability are not in doubt. We owe our voters a correct exposition of our brand of secularism. The minorities must be given complete assurance of security and opportunities for becoming prosperous. All past wrongs must be forgiven and forgotten. This requires projecting those who have earned the respect of minorities,” he said.
