Shiv Sena asked NDA to decide PM candidate soon

Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray asked the NDA to decide its Prime Ministerial candidate well in advance before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

“There should be no confusion at the last moment. The election for the PM’s post is due in April-May next. If at that time we are required to have a PM candidate, what is the harm in starting the discussion now? All should come together and decide the candidate. What is the problem?” Uddhav said.

He expressed these views in the concluding part of an interview to the party mouthpiece, “Saamana” published on Thursday.

Thackeray had last year 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.

Last month, the Shiv Sena had thrown 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. Who to make the PM nominee will be NDA’s decision, especially that of BJP, which is its largest party.”