Janata Dal (United) has asked the BJP to announce the name of its Prime Ministerial candidate much before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Adopting a resolution at the end of its two-day National Executive meeting in New Delhi today, the party said that the BJP, as the biggest party in the NDA, should declare its candidate before the end of this year. The JD(U) also said that a candidate for the Prime Ministerial position should have a secular image and carry along all sections of the people with a focus on the development of backward states. The resolution said it was the tradition of BJP-led NDA to follow its National Agenda of Governance.

Later, talking to media, JD(U) General Secretary K C Tyagi said that the political resolution is only a suggestion to the NDA. He said the relationship between his party and BJP will be in tact.

JD(U) has also demanded special class status to Bihar. The party also called for close coordination between the Centre and the states in the all round economic development of the country.
Earlier, addressing the National Executive meeting, reelected JD(U) President Sharad Yadav said that his party will continue to be in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) despite differences with BJP on some issues.

Senior JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ruled himself out of the Prime Ministerial race, saying he does not nurse any such illusion with such little strength of his party. He, however, made it clear that he would prefer for the top job a leader who carries all sections of society together.