A fortnight ahead of its national executive meeting, senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha has once again flagged the issue of prime ministerial candidate of the party, contending that the Leader of Opposition is not the automatic choice for the top post.
His comments made to a news channel, have come in the backdrop of the BJP launching itself into an election mode with an assessment that the UPA will not be able to last its full term following differences with the Left over the Indo-US nuclear deal.
However, downplaying Sinha?s comment, another senior BJP leader VK Malhotra said, ?Both Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani are our top leaders. But the BJP?s parliamentary board will decide on this (the party?s prime ministerial candidate).?
Sinha, who had been virtually sidelined in the party during Advani?s tenure as the BJP president, cited Congress chief Sonia Gandhi as an example, saying she, too, did not take up the Prime Minister?s post although being the Leader of Opposition during the NDA rule.
Asked whether it meant that Advani should not be considered as the PM-in-waiting, he said, ?No, this is not what I am saying … whenever a decision is taken over the issue within the party and the NDA, you will be told.?
