BJP parliamentary board to meet in Delhi on May 17: Rajnath Singh

Gandhinagar: BJP Parliamentary Board will meet in Delhi on May 17, a day after Lok Sabha poll results are declared, to finalise a timeframe for electing Narendra Modi as leader of BJP and NDA parliamentary parties at the earliest.

"I have told Narendrabhai to come to Delhi on 17th. I will convene the Parliamentary Board meeting on that date to decide the earliest date to hold BJP parliamentary party meet to formally elect Narendrabhai as our leader," BJP chief Rajnath Singh told reporters on Wednesday night after a three-hour meeting the party's core group leaders at Modi's residence.

The meeting of the parliamentary board, BJP's highest decision-making forum, will also decide what role party senior leaders will play in the next government, Rajnath said and denied there was any rift between BJP leaders on the issue.

Replying to a question, he said the issue of Gujarat Chief Ministership will also be decided at a meeting of BJP parliamentary board.

Besides Rajnath Singh, the core group has Modi, Arun Jaitley and Nitin Gadkari in it.

Singh said "I will request all the allies of NDA to extend their support. They have extended their support to us as they are our allies... but in their presence, he (Modi) should be formally elected as the leader".

BJP sources here said Modi will remain here on May 16, the day of counting of votes, and will address a public meeting after the results are out.

On May 17, Modi will go to Varanasi to express gratitude to the people there and reach Delhi in the afternoon, they added. Rajnath Singh said NDA and BJP will be getting a clear majority on their own and there was no question of changing their PM candidate.

"Why should we believe it (that BJP will fall short of majority)? Exit polls results indicate that BJP-led NDA will get the clear majority. I want to make it clear straight away that Narendrabhai Modi is going to become the next Prime Minister," Singh said to a question if there was a possibility of any other person emerging as the PM candidate if NDA fails to get majority.

To a question of taking support from NCP, BJD or AIADMK, Rajnath said "NDA will welcome the support from more and more people to run such a big country. To run the government, the magic figure of 272 is needed but to run this country, we need the support from all."

Asked about party patriarch L K Advani's role in next government, Singh said "who will play what role, that will be decided in the parliamentary board meeting."

To a question about making Adavani as the next NDA chairperson, Rajnath said "Advani ji is our veteran leader…He is our mentor...Whatever decision we will take, we will take that decision unanimously."

He denied there was any rift in the party by saying that all this things were 'untrue'.

On the successor of Modi as chief minister of Gujarat, Singh said "the issue of new Gujarat chief minister will also be decided when I will hold parliamentary board meeting. We have decided to hold that meeting on May 17."

Prior to the BJP core group meeting in Gandhinagar, BJP top brass huddled in a meeting in Delhi to discuss the possibility of the party forming the government at the Centre and changes in the organisation ahead of counting of votes on May 16.

BJP leaders also discussed the possibility of seeking the support of some allies including the BJD, AIADMK and NCP. The party has already made it clear that it is not averse to receiving the support from any party, which even has a single MP and will welcome it if it supports the BJP agenda. Senior BJP leaders held a series of meetings in the national capital since morning with Rajnath Singh meeting Sushma Swaraj before she flew to Bhopal.

Former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari also met Sushma today for around half an hour. Gadkari is playing an active role in negotiating with groups within the party. He had yesterday met Advani amid speculation about his role in the next government.

Jaitley and Amit Shah also held a meeting at the former's residence to discuss the situation arising out of exit poll results that favour an NDA government from coming to power.

Speculation is also rife about some changes in the party if NDA comes to power. Sources in the party feel that there is unlikely to be any change in the party leadership and Rajnath Singh may have to continue as party chief, though Gadkari's name is also being floated to replace him.

Gadkari on his part has ruled out his taking over the party and said Rajnath will continue to steer the party as he had ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Sources point out that RSS has also advised the BJP not to weaken the party in case it forms the government and that the party should remain strong and vibrant even after a BJP-led government comes to power.