Hype over BJP's PM candidate to target the party: Yashwant

Hype has been created over the issue of Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate after appointment of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as election campaign chief to "target the party", BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said on Monday.

"The party has not yet taken any decision about who would be the prime ministerial candidate or when it would be announced, but a hype has been created to target the party," Sinha told a press conference.

Stating that none posed such questions to Congress, he said that BJP leaders were being repeatedly asked this question to capitalise on opportunity if anyone of them said something wrong.

"Did Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or the Congress declare who will be their prime ministerial candidate? Will it be from among Rahul Gandhi, A K Antony or Digvijaya Singh or some other?" he asked.

Asked about Modi's elevation, Sinha claimed it was because he has emerged as most popular leader in the country.

Senior party leader L K Advani, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley in Rajya Sabha were in the front line for the post, but the party is yet t announce its prime ministerial candidate, he said.

Criticising the Congress, the BJP leader said it has become a habit of its leaders to react to each statement or action by Modi.

"Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh is in the habit of giving baseless statements only to remain in the limelight," he claimed, adding that Congress has become desperate and fearful since Modi's elevation.

Referring to the concern expressed by Modi over the Uttarakhand disaster and the safety of people of his state, Sinha said being Chief Minister the concern was natural and disaster should not be politicised.

“We accorded priority to relief work instead of accusing any political party or leader," he said.

The BJP can raise a finger against the Uttarakhand government headed by Vijay Bahuguna 'thousand times' on the rescue operations, but none from the party did, he said.

Sinha said he saluted the Indian army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police for discharging their responsibilities in the disaster affected area.

He also said the Rs 1000 crore relief package announced by the Union government was inadequate.