A rift has opened up in the NDA over the atte-mpted projection of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as the NDA’s probable prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 general elections.
Leaders of the JD(U), a powerful NDA ally, have indicated to the saffron camp that such attempt could “have an adverse im-pact on the coalition”. The JD(U), despite bei-ng a BJP ally, has managed to stay on the right side of the minority vote bank in Bihar with Mr Kumar offering a series of sops to them.
Also, with the forthcoming UP Assembly polls a section in the BJP is worried about the hype being created over Mr Modi. This section feels the move to project Mr Modi as the party’s face for the 2014 general elections will help the Congress and other secular outfits electorally in the UP Assembly polls. “More-over, the case is not over as yet so the party must exercise caution,” a senior party functionary said.