The Shiv Sena has again asked the BJP to declare the NDA’s prime ministerial candidate for the next Lok Sabha elections.
A week after Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said that the situation had changed ever since late party chief Bal Thackeray had given blessings to Sushma Swaraj for being the PM candidate, the party through its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ has voiced its concerns over the issue.
The Sena editorial said that though the BJP has the right to decide on its PM candidate, it cannot come to power on its own, and hence should consult other NDA allies prior to the elections.
“There are disagreements within the NDA on the PM candidate issue. Rajnath Singh, L K Advani and Sushma Swaraj should comment on this and the confusion should be cleared by convening a meeting of the NDA at the earliest,” the Sena editorial said.
Though it is not yet clear what is the party’s stand on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi who is being projected by certain sections of the BJP as the PM candidate of the NDA, the editorial tried to comment on the issue passively.
On one hand Shiv Sena has criticised Modi for not being Hindu enough while it has also targeted Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for rejecting Modi as the PM candidate.
“One person’s name that is being suggested for the prime ministerial candidate can get you five to 10 seats more,” the editorial said about Modi without naming him.
“However one has to consider its impact on the loyal allies who may severe ties resulting in reduction of five to 25 seats,” the editorial said.
It concluded that the final call regarding Modi as the PM candidate rests with the NDA allies.