New Delhi: Setting aside reports that Leader
of Opposition L K Advani might exit from politics on his
birthday tomorrow, RSS has said the senior BJP leader would
step down only after overseeing the taking over of a new party
president early next year.
"The present BJP president completes his term in
December. By the time the formalities for taking over by a new
president are completed it would be January end. Once that is
done, Advani will step down as was decided earlier," RSS
leader Ram Madhav told agency.
Earlier, there were reports that Advani might quit
politics on his birthday.
The RSS leadership had asked Advani to choose his
successor as well as ensure a smooth change of leadership
after party president Rajnath Singh completes his term in
December.
A BJP leader echoed similar sentiments, saying Advani is
not stepping down now but there is a possibility of him
quitting once a new president is chosen.
This would mean Advani, who turns 82 tomorrow, may give
up the post of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha in
February-March 2010, party sources said.
"However, the issue has not been discussed afresh. These
decisions were taken last month when a series of meetings were
held between the RSS chief (Mohan Bhagwat) and BJP
leadership," Madhav said.
Meanwhile, Bhagwat said in an interview to a news channel
that he was told by BJP leaders that the party's new president
will be from outside Delhi.
Bhagwat said the names of senior leaders Arun Jaitley,
Sushma Swaraj, M Venkaiah Naidu and Ananth Kumar for the top
post have been ruled out.
RSS and BJP top brass have reportedly agreed that the new
party president would be somebody with a Sangh background, not
more than 60 years of age, dynamic and capable of taking along
all sections of the party and the Sangh.
The process of choosing a new BJP president has already
begun. Sources said names were likely to be finalised by the
end of November and a consensus reached on the next incumbent
by December end.
Rajnath Singh is likely to relinquish office sometime in
January, though officially his term would come to an end on
December 31.
With the four senior leaders from Delhi being ruled out
for the top post, sources said Deputy Leader of Opposition in
Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj succeeding Advani would be a "logical
move".
Arun Jaitley has already been appointed as Leader of
Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.
However, Rajnath Singh's role after he completes his term
as party president is yet to be decided.
Bureau Report