JD-U, which has reservations on Narendra Modi, today described as "internal matter" of BJP his anointment as its campaign committee chief but insisted that NDA's Prime Ministerial candidate will be decided by all constituents of the alliance.
"What BJP decides is that party's internal matter. Whom they make the party president or chairman of a particular committee in their party is what concerns them.
"He (Modi) has not become NDA's campaign committee chairman," JD-U President Sharad Yadav told PTI on phone from Chennai.
Yadav, who is also NDA convener, at the same time, said that NDA functioned for 17 years according to its national agenda and "whoever becomes the PM candidate has to accept that national agenda".
He said that NDA's PM candidate will be decided in NDA after BJP declares its candidate.
"BJP will decide its PM candidate and then it will be brought up before NDA. NDA's PM candidate will be decided by NDA, with BJP and all its contituents," Yadav said, indicating that his party's reservations on Modi as BJP's PM candidate continues.
Ending the suspense over Modi's name, BJP today annointed him as its election campaign committee chief for 2014 Lok Sabha elections, which is being interpreted by analysts as the Gujarat Chief Minister's another step forward towards becoming BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate.
BJP President Rajnath Singh, who has been hailing Modi as the "most popular" leader in the country, has so far maintained that the decision on BJP's PM candidate will be taken by the partys Parliamentary Board.
JD-U's and, in particular, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's antipathy towards Modi is well-known.
After the recent defeat of JD-U candidate in Maharajganj Lok Sabha bypoll, there were allegations that BJP did not work for the JD-U candidate, a contention dismissed by Kumar.
JD-U leaders were, however, quick to dismiss BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy's contention in the aftermath of the bypoll result that Modi is required for both BJP and JD-U.
"We do not need Modi" was the refrain of JD-U General Secretary Shivanand Tiwari on Rudy's remarks.