‘Projecting Modi a mistake’
16 May 2009
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Chandan Mitra said that projecting Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as the party's next prime ministerial candidate was a mistake. "Bringing up Narendra Modi's name in the middle of the campaign was a serious error of judgment," Mitra said.
BJP leader Arun Shourie had put forward Modi's name as a possible prime ministerial candidate in the 2014 elections, a view which was supported by several party leaders. "It was a mistake, though every attempt was made to cover it up," Mitra added.
Asked about future prospects, BJP president Rajnath Singh dismissed suggestions that there was a possibility of a split in the NDA after the dismal results. He also denied that the era of smaller parties was over.
On who would be the Leader of the Opposition now from the NDA's behalf, he said: "Advani was, is and will continue to be our leader....there are not two opinions about it."
Singh said former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had always campaigned for the BJP, but could not do so this time, hinting that the party had missed its biggest crowd-puller during the electioneering.
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