BJP still not ready to name Modi as PM candidate

Bharatiya Janata Party is banking on the failures of the Congress-led UPA government to return to power, but it is not ready to pronounce the controversial Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate. "We are confident that the failure of the Congress government will help BJP return to power at the centre" after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Party President Rajnath Singh told a press conference here on Saturday at the start of a five-day US trip.

"Any political party that aspires to come to power should give good governance and satisfy the needs of the people. If they fail in this front, they will be out of power," he said. Asked why he himself was not being projected as the party's prime ministerial candidate, Rajnath Singh said, "It's not necessary that party president should also be a crowd puller and a prime ministerial candidate."

He added that, "I have an assignment to do for my party. I have a job to deliver - that is victory of the party in the 2014 elections," he said as he praised Modi as a "crowd puller" with national appeal, but stopped short of naming him as the man for the top job.

"He is a crowd puller not only in Gujarat but also in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, from North to South, East to West. He is one single leader with a national appeal. His popularity will help the party in the elections," he said.

"I have named him as campaign head in view of his image, popularity and commitment to the party," Rajnath Singh said, asking, "What is unusual in that? We have nominated Modi like other parties do, why read between lines?"

"I am more interested in getting the BJP back into power in centre and packing off the corruption-ridden bad governance of the Congress in my tenure as president of the party," said the BJP?president.

BJP to seek US visa for Modi New York (PTI): The BJP, which had so far maintained that it was not unduly bothered about denial of American visa to Narendra Modi, on Sunday, said it will appeal to the US Administration to lift the travel ban on him. Addressing a press conference in New York, the party President Rajnath Singh said he would take up the issue with the U.S. lawmakers in Washington during the week."I will appeal to the U.S. government to clear the U.S. visa to the Gujarat Chief Minister," he said.

The U.S. Government had taken a decision not to give visa to Mr. Modi in the wake of the post-Godhra riots of 2002 in Gujarat and serious violation of human rights there. The party had always maintained that Mr. Modi was not clamoring for a U.S. visa but criticised the Administration on its stand saying he was a democratically elected popular leaders of the state.

Mr. Modi, who has been nominated as the chairman of BJP election campaign committee, has taken to address audiences in the US through video-conferencing. Singh is on a five-day trip to New York and Washington on an outreach programme to meet the Indian diaspora. On Tuesday, he will present a key note address on India, Afghanistan and regional security at a conference in Washington.