Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi (file pic)
Hours ahead of formally announcing that
Narendra Modi is its prime ministerial candidate, the BJP has informed its ally Shiv Sena of its decision, and has received the thumbs up.
Last night, Mr Modi phoned Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and reportedly sought his support.
Today, BJP chief Rajnath Singh phoned Mr Thackeray to let him know that Mr Modi's candidature for the country's top job will be publicly disclosed today. The Sena president indicated his approval and said that the BJP should call a meeting of all its allies for a formal endorsement. (
Modi-for-PM: who said what)
The Sena is the BJP's oldest ally. Till recently, it had said it would prefer to see the BJP's Sushma Swaraj as the opposition's choice for prime minister.
In June, Mr Thackeray wrote an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece that was critical of Mr Modi.
While the Sena has acquiesced, the BJP has yet to win over senior party leader LK Advani, who has been opposing Mr Modi's ascension. He met this morning with colleagues who want to persuade him not to vote against the party's choice at a meeting this evening of the BJP's top leaders. (
Track updates)
If Mr Advani spurns their advice, the BJP will be once again exposed as a party deeply divided over its top man.
Mr Modi's detractors allege that if the chief minister is the frontman of the BJP, other regional parties who rely heavily on Muslim voters will not come on board to form a coalition strong enough to challenge the Congress-led UPA that is currently in power.
In the Gujarat riots of 2002, hundreds of Muslims were killed in Mr Modi's first term.
He has refused to apologise for the communal riots and denied any wrongdoing, but one of his former ministers was jailed last year for orchestrating some of the violence.