The cover story of this week’s Time magazine on Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, praising his development model in the state and speculating whether he can be the prime ministerial candidate for 2014 general elections, has evoked mixed reaction among the NDA constituents.
The BJP’s key ally, the JD(U), openly rejected Mr Modi’s projection as the NDA’s PM candidate, even terming the story as a “possible corporate plant”. It may be pointed out that the JD-U is also looking at the possible formation of a third front led by its leader Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) adopted a cautious approach, with Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal’s media adviser Harcharan Bains said they “will go with the majority view in the NDA on the issue of Prime Minister candidate”.
Bal Thackeray’s Shiv Sena was all praise for Mr Modi being on Time’s cover. “Narendra Modi might have appeared on the Time magazine cover now, but he was always considered as a right and able candidate for the PM’s post,” Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said.