New Delhi, Jan 17 (IANS): Bharatiya Janata Party Friday said Congress has developed "cold feet" on Rahul Gandhi, adding the prospect of defeat is responsible for the reluctance in announcing him as the prime ministerial candidate.

Rajya Sabha leader of opposition Arun Jaitley, in his blog Friday said it was "nervousness" that kept the "dynasty" away in 2004 when Sonia Gandhi stepped back from taking the prime minister's chair.

"It is the prospect of defeat staring in the face which is responsible for the reluctance to announce Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate in 2014," Jaitley said.

"The nervousness is palpable now. Why puncture your only card in an adverse political environment. There is no fire in the belly left to fight adversity," he said.

Party leader Prakash Javadekar said the Congress did not declare Rahul as PM candidate because it was saving him for "future elections".

"Defeat is written on Congress' face," Javadekar said.

"They want to save their only leader for future elections, they know what the results are going to be," he told IANS.

The Congress, in a resolution moved at the All India Congress Committee meeting here Friday, announced Rahul, its vice president, will lead the party in the Lok Sabha elections this year but won't be the prime ministerial candidate.