Uddhav asks NDA to declare its PM candidate, says Balasaheb had suggested Sushma's name

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena has asked the BJP to clarify its stand on its Prime Ministerial candidate before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said that the NDA should decide its candidate in advance.

Uddhav has also written that there is no unanimity in the NDA as it had also left a decision on its presidential candidate to the last minute.

Uddhav reiterated in party mouthpiece 'Saamna' that late Bal Thackeray had suggested Sushma Swaraj's name for the post and that if there are other candidate as well, all names should be discussed.

Uddhav Thackeray also said that there is no unanimity in the NDA as it had also left a decision on its presidential candidate to the last minute.

Meanwhile, the BJP top brass including LK Advani, Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj are expected to meet RSS leaders Bhaiyaji Joshi and Suresh Soni on Thursday.

Bal Thackeray had said he would back Swaraj as she was the only "deserving and brilliant" person who fitted the bill. "She's a savvy woman and will perform her job as Prime Minister in a forceful and decisive manner," the late Sena chief had said.

However, last month, the Shiv Sena threw its weight behind Narendra Modi's prime ministerial ambitions. Sena leader Sanjay Raut had then told media, "We have no problem if Modi is declared as the NDA's PM candidate. Modi is definitely a strong leader. There is no doubt about that.. He has shown the country, shown Gujarat (what he is). Who to make the PM nominee will be NDA's decision, specially that of BJP, which is its largest party," Raut had said.

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