Hazaribagh, Jharkhand:
As the BJP prepares to anoint Narendra Modi as the party's Prime Ministerial candidate, his perceived critics in the party seem to be contradicting themselves routinely.
On Wednesday, senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, seen in the past as anti-Modi, said emphatically, "I am saying this with absolute certainty that Narendra Modi will be the country's next Prime Minister."
The statement was seen as a sign of broad acceptance in the party that Mr Modi will be the party's face for next year's elections.
But 24 hours later, Mr Sinha had backtracked.
"I am no one to make Mr Modi the next Prime Minister. This was my personal assessment of the prevailing political situation," Mr Sinha told reporters in his parliamentary constituency Hazaribagh in Jharkhand.
He also sought to clarify that he did not belong to any group within the party.
Commenting on Mr Sinha's apparent flip-flop, Janata Dal-United leader Shivanand Tiwari said: "Yashwant Sinha changes his statements on Modi every time. No one can say who will be the next PM. It is the people who will decide."
Mr Sinha's clarification came hours after another plain-speaking leader, Shatrughan Sinha tried to mollify party leaders rattled by his comment describing former ally Nitish Kumar as a fit candidate for PM.
On Wednesday, Yashwant Sinha had reprimanded Mr Sinha with these words: "The Bihari babu must refrain from making such statements at a time relations between both parties are at an all-time low."
Nitish Kumar's JD-U ended its 17-year alliance with the BJP over the elevation of Mr Modi as its campaign in charge in June.
"My statement was twisted, this is unfortunate. I am in the BJP and will remain in the BJP, there is no question of deviating from the party line" said the actor-turned-politician nicknamed "shotgun" for his outspoken ways.
On Wednesday, senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, seen in the past as anti-Modi, said emphatically, "I am saying this with absolute certainty that Narendra Modi will be the country's next Prime Minister."
The statement was seen as a sign of broad acceptance in the party that Mr Modi will be the party's face for next year's elections.
But 24 hours later, Mr Sinha had backtracked.
"I am no one to make Mr Modi the next Prime Minister. This was my personal assessment of the prevailing political situation," Mr Sinha told reporters in his parliamentary constituency Hazaribagh in Jharkhand.
He also sought to clarify that he did not belong to any group within the party.
Commenting on Mr Sinha's apparent flip-flop, Janata Dal-United leader Shivanand Tiwari said: "Yashwant Sinha changes his statements on Modi every time. No one can say who will be the next PM. It is the people who will decide."
Mr Sinha's clarification came hours after another plain-speaking leader, Shatrughan Sinha tried to mollify party leaders rattled by his comment describing former ally Nitish Kumar as a fit candidate for PM.
On Wednesday, Yashwant Sinha had reprimanded Mr Sinha with these words: "The Bihari babu must refrain from making such statements at a time relations between both parties are at an all-time low."
Nitish Kumar's JD-U ended its 17-year alliance with the BJP over the elevation of Mr Modi as its campaign in charge in June.
"My statement was twisted, this is unfortunate. I am in the BJP and will remain in the BJP, there is no question of deviating from the party line" said the actor-turned-politician nicknamed "shotgun" for his outspoken ways.
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