New Delhi:
The BJP's Sushma Swaraj smiled when she was asked on stage at the NDTV Indian of the Year 2012 if she was in the race to be her party's candidate for Prime Minister in the next general elections.
"You have projected me as the PM candidate, my party hasn't," Ms Swaraj said, suggesting that her party chief Rajnath Singh, who preceded her on stage, should've been asked that question. Ms Swaraj also said, "I have always been given responsibilities by my party; whatever I will be given, by God's grace I will discharge."
The BJP was told yesterday by key ally Janata Dal (United) that it has eight months to find an alternative to Gujarat Chief Minster Narendra Modi, who is the top choice of party cadres to lead it in the next general elections. JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar handed the BJP a list of criteria that a presumptive PM of the NDA, the national alliance that the BJP leads, must fulfill, making it clear that it ruled out Mr Modi, without once naming him.
While Rajnath Singh admitted today that there was a "crisis" to be resolved with the JD(U), Ms Swaraj said her party was under no pressure to announce its candidate for PM. "What delay in declaring the PM candidate; has the Congress declared a candidate?" she asked.
BJP ally the Shiv Sena has said it finds Ms Swaraj the most suitable among BJP leaders to be the prime ministerial candidate of the NDA, the national alliance that the BJP leads.