Decision on Modi's PM candidature may not be taken on Friday: Sources

New Delhi:There is no decision yet on holding BJP Parliamentary Board meeting on September 13 where a decision on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's prime minister candidature is likely to be taken, sources said. The BJP leaders were expected to meet to take a decision on appointing Modi as party's prime ministerial candidate.

BJP President Rajnath Singh met senior leaders LK Advani and will also see Sushma Swaraj and Murli Manohar Joshi later in the day to garner support for Modi's candidature. Advani's camp is insisting that decision on Modi should be taken after the Assembly elections in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan later in 2013.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan is among the leaders who are also opposing the decision.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has already conveyed to the BJP its support to the Modi's candidature and left it to the party to make an announcement. Senior BJP leaders Arun Jaitley and Venkaiah Naidu believe that any delay in the decision can hamper party's prospects in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP President would ideally want to get all leaders on board before calling a Parliamentary Party meeting to ratify Modi's candidature. But in the absence of any consensus, it remains to be seen whether Rajnath will bite the bullet and force a confrontation in the 11-member Parliamentary board or he'll wait for consensus to emerge.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Siddhartha Nath Singh said, "Modiji has the blessings of over 125 crore Indians and the party cadre. He has already received a gift and now it is for him to make India free of the Congress misrule."

Even Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had said that the people have already elected Modi as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate. Backing Modi is the former Union Minister and BJP leader Arun Shourie.

The questions that now emerge are:

- Won't naming Modi as PM candidate convert the assembly polls into a referendum on Modi?

- What will BJP do if more police officers like DG Vanzara question Modi government's actions?

- Can't Advani be given authority to name PM nominee at a time of his choice?

- Should the BJP not concentrate first on ensuring a win in the assembly polls?

- How can Modi be the PM candidate while remaining Gujarat CM?

- Should Modi not hand over power in Gujarat and then manage the campaign from Delhi?