Bihar BJP defends resolution on Narendra Modi-for-PM candidate

Patna, Aug 21: The Bihar BJP on Tuesday sought to make light of the appeal by its central leaders for passing a resolution urging the parliamentary board to decide on the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's anointment as the prime ministerial candidate and said that the decision was taken in deference to sentiments of the party workers.

"The resolution (recommending to the parliamentary board to decide on Modi's name as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate) was adopted at Bodh Gaya in deference to sentiments of the party workers from Bihar and vociferous demand by the delegates," Leader of Opposition in the legislative assembly Nandkishore Yadav told reporters today.

"We did what the party leaders and workers desired from us that the state unit should adopt a resolution urging the BJP central leadership to convene its parliamentary board meeting and stamp on the Gujarat Chief Minister's candidature for the PM's post," he said. Yadav refused to dwell on admonition by the central leadership and offered no comments.

It may be mentioned that the Bihar BJP had, during its state executive in Bodh Gaya on Saturday, adopted a resolution unanimously urging the central leadership to nominate Modi as its prime ministerial candidate, a decision that raised hackles of the central leaders, including the party president Rajnath Singh.

The resolution was moved by BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and seconded by Nandkishore Yadav.

Singh had reportedly expressed displeasure at the resolution adopted by the Bihar BJP on Modi's prime ministerial candidature without any solicitation or direction and reportedly rebuked the state unit senior leaders, Sushil Kumar Modi and Mangal Pandey when the two leaders, armed with a copy of the resolution, called on him in New Delhi on Sunday.

The BJP national president also told the Bihar leaders in no uncertain terms that he knew his job well and would decide on when to convene the parliamentary board meeting to take a call on the party's prime ministerial candidate. Meanwhile, ex-RJD MLA Shyam Narayan Yadav, Indubhushan Singh Kushwaha (JD-U), Anup Tiwari (Congress) and Neha Kumar Kushwaha joined the BJP at a function held in the party office here in the presence of the state unit BJP chief Mangal Pandey.

PTI