New Delhi, Oct 17: BJP MP Ram Jethmalani has written a letter to party president Nitin Gadkari requesting him to consider about projecting Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as the party's candidate for Prime Minister in the next Lok Sabha elections.
Setting the cat among the pigeons in the party, Jethmalani, in his letter, has said, all major political parties should declare their prime ministerial candidates before the polls, and if possible, such candidates should form their shadow cabinets, as is the practice in the UK.
Speaking to a news channel, Jethmalani said, he had written the letter to Gadkari on September 27, as he was unable to attend the BJP national executive meeting because of his preoccupation in court and had to leave abroad soon after.
In his letter, Jethmalani suggested that the prime ministerial candidate should have at least one-third members of his shadow cabinet from outside the party, and they should be "non-political experts known for their integrity and intellect".
The criminal lawyer said: "I feel he (Modi) is heads and shoulders above others on the question of efficiency and integrity. The communal riots of Gujarat were a stain on him, but that stain has been washed off over the years because of his sound governance."
Jethmalani said, Modi has been made a victim of "malicious propaganda" on the Gujarat communal riots, but the party must not fight shy of naming him as the prime ministerial candidate.
Asked whether he had spoken to Narendra Modi, Jethamalani replied: "I don't have to, but he knows the contents of my letter to the party president."
Asked what would happen if Modi declined to become prime ministerial candidate, Jethmalani said: "If he (Modi) doesn't want to, nobody can compel him, but I don't see why he should not accept the party's order."
Asked about reservations about Modi from the JD-U camp, the lawyer said: "I don't care what other leaders say."
