Ch'garh CM indicates race for BJP's PM candidate wide open

Singh, however, insists that he is not in the race.
"The issue of who will become Prime Minister (if BJP comes to power) is decided in the biggest forum of the party, the Parliamentary Board and not before elections," the 59-year-old Singh told PTI in an interview.

He was responding to question on whether he is suggesting that the issue of Prime Ministerial candidate within BJP is still unsettled.

The Chief Minister said, "Sometimes we project somebody while on many occasions, it is decided after the elections. This is decided in our central Parliamentary Board. This is not an issue for now."

Singh said he had never even thought about his PM candidature as his focus is on Chhattisgarh Assembly elections in 2013, which takes place before the next general elections.

"And everybody is in the race except me. I never think about that because there is a big election (next Assembly election) in our state after two years and that is before the Lok Sabha elections," he added.

To a specific question on where does he find himself in the race for Prime Ministership within the BJP as names of a number of Chief Ministers in BJP and NDA, are doing rounds for the same, Singh said he does not have "even any distant participation in this race."