No rift on timing of announcement of BJP's PM candidate: JD(U)

PATNA: The Janata Dal (United) today brushed off speculation that there were differences among its senior party leaders over the timing of the announcement of the BJP's prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 general elections.

However, state unit JD(U) president Vashistha Narayan Singh contended that, "it helped a party and an alliance to make public its prime ministerial candidate ahead of the general elections as it would give enough time to the people to take a stand."

"There is absolutely no difference among the top party leaders like Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and JD(U) national President Sharad Yadav over the timing of the announcement of the BJP's prime ministerial candidate," Singh told reporters here.

Referring to divergent stand taken by Kumar and Yadav on the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, Singh said that the two senior JD(U) leaders had articulated their views on the issue as part of discussion within the party on the issue.

"Every leader is entitled to his own views on political issues and the same should not be construed as difference of view," he said.