Senior BJP leader Advani turns 83; President, PM wish him
New Delhi: Senior BJP leader L K Advani on Sunday
celebrated his 83rd birthday in the shadow of reports that he
may quit as Leader of the Opposition by end of January next.
President Pratibha Patil sent flowers to him while Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar
wished him over phone.
There are indications, including from the RSS, that
Advani may quit as Leader of the Opposition once BJP gets a
new president as the term of the incumbent Rajnath Singh
expires next month.
Controversy over Advani's continuance in positions of
significance started after the debacle in the May Lok Sabha
polls in which he was projected as the prime ministerial
candidate.
Though he offered to quit after the defeat, he was
persuaded to continue as Leader of the Opposition but serious
questions were raised once various party leaders raked up
issues over the way the affairs of the BJP were being
conducted.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had stepped in to make it clear
that the party leadership should pass on to the younger
generation.
Others who visited Advani's residence on the occasion
included BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, M Venkaiah Naidu, Ananth
Kumar, Kalraj Mishra, Shahnawaz Hussain and actor-turned-
politician Smriti Irani. INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala also
called on the BJP leader to wish him personally.
Bureau Report