BJP puts LK Advani in Vajpayee’s chair

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s real estate problem in Parliament was solved on Sunday with its parliamentary party chairman LK Advani being made “acting” chairperson of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) till chairperson Atal Bihari Vajpayee is “fully fit”.

Thus, Advani will now vacate his leader of the opposition office space for his successor Sushma Swaraj, and will occupy Vajpayee’s till-now vacant office. The decision was taken at an NDA meeting on Sunday, where floor co-ordination in Parliament among allies was also discussed.

Party president Nitin Gadkari called on former prime minister Vajpayee and took his consent on Saturday evening.

Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav has been made NDA convener. He had been acting convener in place of the ailing George Fernandes. “This formally marks the end of the Vajpayee-Advani era in all aspects of the party,” a source said.  “The fact remains that till Vajpayeeji is around, he will remain NDA chairman out of our respect for him, even though he has not been active for some time,” a senior party leader said. “Atalji’s nameplate will not be removed. Instead, Advaniji’s nameplate will be added outside the office,” the source said.

This budget session will be the first in which the opposition will be led by Swaraj in the last six years. She is expected to infuse new energy into the parliamentary party’s attacks through her oratorial skills and her network among political leaders courtesy her time as parliamentary affairs minister in the NDA government.