Would withdraw my name if BJP fields Joshi from Kanpur: Satish Mahana

KANPUR: Six-time BJP MLA from Kanpur, Satish Mahana today said he was ready to withdraw his name if the party decides to field senior leader Murli Manohar Joshi from the industrial town.

"If the party high command fields veteran leader Murli Manohar Joshi from Kanpur, I will withdraw my name. I will support Joshi and help him win the elections so that it consolidates the position of our party's Prime Ministerial nominee," Mahana, who is also in race for a ticket from the Kanpur seat said.

Mahana said their only aim is to see Narendra Modi as the country's Prime Minister.

"Our only aim is to see Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of the country and for that whoever the party gives ticket to, I will give my full support," said Mahana, who was defeated by Congress leader Sri Prakash Jaiswal in 2009 elections.

Sharing the same sentiments, BJP MLA Salil Bishnoi said, " We are prepared to give tough competition to Jaiswal in Kanpur. We are waiting for party's decision to filed Joshi from Kanpur."

Breaking his silence over the reported row in BJP over a move to field Narendra Modi from Varanasi, Murli Manohar Joshi yesterday said he would accept any decision the party takes like a "disciplined soldier" and hoped it would neither dent the PM candidate's prestige nor hurt party's electoral chances.