New Delhi: As Narendra Modi heads for victory for a third term in Gujarat, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Smriti Irani on Thursday said that the former was her choice for the prime ministerial candidate.
"If I were to vote, it will be for Modi as PM. Modi is one of the tallest leaders across party lines," she said.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi, however, said Modi's victory in the Gujarat polls has nothing to do with his national acceptability.
"The victory in Gujarat polls makes Narendra Modi unstoppable in the BJP. He is very important Chief Minister for BJP, but that has nothing to do with his national acceptability," he said.
Modi, who is being seen by many as a potential Prime Ministerial candidate for the BJP in 2014, won in Ahmedabad's Maninagar constituency.
Maninagar is a Modi stronghold and he has held this seat since 2002. Modi, who is looking at a third consecutive term at the helm in Gujarat, defeated Congress' Shweta Bhatt, the wife of suspended police officer Sanjeev Bhatt, by more than 70,000 votes.
There are 182 Assembly seats in Gujarat and a party needs at least 92 seats to get a sole majority and form the government.
The BJP has fielded its candidates for all the 95 seats in this phase. The Congress is contesting on 92 seats, while the Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) of Keshubhai Patel has fielded its candidates for 84 seats.
ANI
First Published: Thursday, December 20, 2012, 11:32