New Delhi: The BJP Parliamentary Board on Friday evening formally named Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the party’s prime ministerial candidate brushing aside objections by senior party leader L.K. Advani.
The announcement was made by party president Rajnath Singh at the party headquarters after a meeting of the Parliamentary Board. He complimented Modi and wished him all the best.
In his speech, Modi said he was grateful to the Parliamentary Board for having confidence in him. "I have come from very humble beginnings and I am happy at this nomination."
He thanked all senior leaders of the BJP and scores of party workers.
He said he will work shoulder-to-shoulder with all the leaders and grassroot workers. While seeking blessings of the party and countrymen, he said he will leave no stone unturned to win the forthcoming elections and ensure BJP win in 2014.
His focus would on price rise and exposing a series of scams that has plagued the nation off-late. He also sought the cooperation and support of all NDA allies. 
Rajnath Singh also announced that Modi will meet Advani to seek his blessings. 
Amidst great anticipation and high drama, the party endorsed party president Rajnath Singh’s choice, brushing aside senior party leader L.K. Advani objections.
Despite a series of meetings, Singh was not able to placate Advani who once had said that naming Modi now would be a disaster. Registering his serious objections, Advani boycotted the parliamentary board meeting.
Mystery surrounded Advani keeping away as he was ready to leave his residence to attend the meeting, but called it off at the last minute.
With Modi taking centre stage, the isolation of Advani would be complete. The senior leader who built the party today finds himself lonely and isolated. Advani wanted the name of Modi to be announced after the Assembly elections in November.
Advani had maintained that naming Modi will give the Congress and escape route from all the scams and corruption charges.
Advani had also suggested that the BJP chief ministers should also be consulted on this issue.
Earlier, senior party leader Murli Manohar Joshi told newspersons here that though there may be differences, all leaders are on the same page on the issue of Modi.
Soon after Joshi's announcement, celebrations broke out in Delhi and Mumbai outside the BJP offices. In sharp contrast, Advani's residence in Delhi wore a deserted look.
The party also summoned four pundits to seek divine blessings for Modi and ward off evil. Modi, it may be recalled, wanted his name to be announced ahead of the inauspicious month of 'Pitrupaksh’ that commences in a few days from now.
In the morning, a host of senior leaders met Advani in an attempt to convince him on declaring Narendra Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate.
Party leaders Nitin Gadkari, Ananth Kumar and Sushma Swaraj were at L K Advani's residence to persuade him on the issue.
Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and senior leader Murli Manohar Joshi also had reservations about Modi's candidature and had suggested that an announcement should be made only after the upcoming assembly elections to Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi.
BJP ally, Shiv Sena on Friday supported Narendra Modi as NDA's PM candidate. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said the BJP-led NDA would win the 2014 general elections if they contest it under the leadership of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
"Yes, we will win 100 per cent if we fight under Narendra Modi. Yesterday, Uddhavji (Uddhav Thackeray) talked to Modiji, and congratulated him as well. We will welcome it if Modi is declared the PM candidate," Raut said.