Narendra Modi likely to fly to Delhi for BJP's PM announcement this evening

New Delhi: The BJP is expected to announce this evening that Narendra Modi will be its candidate for prime minister in 2014. Party president Rajnath Singh has reportedly already informed ally Shiv Sena that Mr Modi will be nominated.

The Gujarat Chief Minister is expected in Delhi soon, sources said, ahead of a meeting at 5 pm of the party's top decision-makers that could see veteran LK Advani voting against the proposal.

To prevent that embarrassment, senior party leaders like Nitin Gadkari have been meeting with Mr Advani, who is 85.

Sushma Swaraj - who too has been opposed to her party picking Mr Modi right now as presumptive PM - accompanied Mr Gadkari to Mr Advani's residence on Friday afternoon, in a sign that she has been brought around to support the party's decision. Sources said she could, however, record her reservation at this evening's meeting. (Track Live Updates)

Murli Manohar Joshi, another dissenter, has reportedly said he will back a majority decision, but has travelled to Madhya Pradesh for an official engagement.

On Friday morning, the Shiv Sena said it would have preferred Sushma Swaraj to lead their national alliance, but offered support to Mr Modi. Sources said Rajnath Singh had informed Sena chief Udhav Thackeray that Mr Modi's candidacy had been finalised. 

Mr Advani has reportedly told the BJP president that announcing Mr Modi as its choice for PM will plunge the BJP into "political disaster". (Read)

Mr Modi's detractors say the party should first test his appeal in the assembly elections in five states in November. But the BJP's ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, believes that Mr Modi's surging popularity among party workers could extend to voters. (Watch analysis: Advani or no Advani, Modi all the way?)

The fissures within the BJP's big hitters are allowing opponents to point out that Mr Modi polarizes not just voters but his own party.

He is accused of being a divisive figure who deters minority voters because he failed to prevent the riots in Gujarat in 2002, in which hundreds of Muslims were killed on his watch.  He has refused to apologize for the violence;  in a controversial interview in July. He appeared to compare the riots to a puppy being run over, but later said his comments had been misinterpreted. (Read: Narendra Modi's 'puppy' analogy sparks political storm)