Narendra Modi evasive on PM ambitions

Tokyo, Jul 23: Gujarat Chief Minister

remained evasive on the question of him being projected by some in the BJP as the party's prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 general election, saying he was committed to his task towards his state.

Modi, who is here to attract Japanese investment, attacked the UPA government, saying it had many internal problems and there was a possibility of Lok Sabha elections taking place earlier than 2014. He expressed confidence that NDA would win the next elections and repeat the "good governance" witnessed during the Prime Ministership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Asked directly as to what he would do for the people if he became the Prime Minister, Modi responded, "In politics, ifs and buts have no place." His reply remained the same even when pressed further. "What I have told you is that ifs and buts have no place in politics," he repeated.

Asked if he nurtures the ambition of becoming India's Prime Minister, Modi said, "I am committed to Gujarat. I am committed to the 60 million people of Gujarat. They have given me the responsibility. I will have to fulfil that." Modi, who is at Gujarat's helm for more than a decade now, is hopeful of coming back to power in the state also.

"In Dec, we are going for a Gujarat election. My priority is to win that election. I am sure people of Gujarat will elect our government again." Claiming that General election can happen anytime from the end of current year till 2014, Modi said incumbent UPA-II was facing so many internal problems, failed to check inflation and fast-track infrastructure development.

PTI