Only Narendra Modi has moral authority to be PM: Rajnath Singh

Mumbai: Seeking to scotch speculation about any change of plan after the elections, BJP president Rajnath Singh on Thursday said "only Narendra Modi will be the PM" and expressed confidence that the NDA will reach the 300-seat mark.

"Let me clarify that under any circumstances, it will be Modi who will be the prime minister. A moral authority is needed for the post besides administrative acumen. We have been projecting Modi for the PM's post," he told reporters.

The BJP chief was responding to a query about speculation of his (Singh's) being in the reckoning for the top job to rope in new allies, considering Modi's divisive image, should NDA fail to get a clear majority.

"Atalji had 24 allies, Modi has 25," the BJP leader said, adding "We are not a divisive party but an inclusive party." "The NDA is marching towards a clear majority," he asserted and added "We can even achieve the 300 mark."

To a query on RSS' growing influence on BJP, Singh said, "that tradition of a remote control is someone else's. You must have read in Sanjaya Baru's book."

Asked about Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram dubbing Modi as "encounter CM", he said, "The maximum number of encounters have been under Congress regime." "Congress has been the most divisive and communal party," Singh said.

They did not pay heed to Gandhiji's suggestion to wind up Congress after independence. Now the people will ensure a Congress-free India, he said.

The BJP chief also ridiculed the allegation that his party had spent Rs 10000 crore on its poll campaign.

"We have not appointed Congress as our auditor. They should first bother about the Rs 5.50 lakh crore scams exposed by the CAG," he said.

Modi's popularity, Singh said, transcended boundaries of caste, creed, sect and religion, and so "people want a change from the misrule of the Congress-led government".

"A frustrated Congress is using abusive language like terming BJP a poisonous party," he said.

Referring to a recently-published book by the prime minister's former media adviser Sanjaya Baru, the BJP president said," Manmohan Singh is the PM but has no power and Congress president enjoys power without responsibility."

Accusing Congress of having "derailed" the country's economy, he said, in 2013, domestic investors invested seven billion dollars in the country but 13 billion dollars abroad.

Asked about MNS chief Raj Thackeray's remark that his support was for Modi and that he did not know who Rajnath Singh was, the BJP president refused to comment.

"Our alliance is with Shiv Sena and will continue in this year's Maharashtra Assembly elections," Singh said, when asked if MNS will be a part of the opposition alliance.

Singh had recently accused Raj of trying to cash in on Modi's popularity by supporting him and suggested that he either join the NDA or merge his party with BJP.

To another query on BJP leader Gopinath Munde calling up Raj Thackeray and seeking MNS support, Singh said, "In Beed (from where Munde is contesting Lok Sabha polls), MNS has not put up a candidate."

Asked about NCP chief Sharad Pawar's appeal not to vote for those in "half pants" (RSS), Singh said, "It is a matter of shame that people don't have enough clothes to wear. That is why we have projected Modi, who hails from a poor family, as our prime ministerial nominee."