L K Advani was sought to be projected as the party's Prime Ministerial candidate by some leaders while some others said the issue was not on the agenda
BHOPAL: Ahead of the crucial national executive meeting of the BJP Friday, L K Advani was sought to be projected as the party's Prime Ministerial candidate by some leaders while some others said the issue was not on the agenda.
"The confusion is in your mind," Jaswant Singh, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said when asked whether Advani was the party's Prime Ministerial candidate in the absence of A B Vajpayee.
"Please listen to what the party is saying. Advani is a leader and there is no second thought on the issue. Under Vajpayee's leadership, everything happens in the party.
"Advani remains to be the right-hand man of Vajpayee for the last 50 years," Singh said.
He, however, evaded questions whether Advani should be made the party chief in the changed circumstances.
Former party chief Venkaiah Naidu said "it is a well known fact that after Vajpayee, it is Advani."
Former party chief Bangaru Lakshman and leader Shahnawaz Hussain, however, maintained that 'choosing' the next Prime Ministerial candidate was not on the agenda.
Former External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha and party leader from Uttar Pradesh Kalraj Mishra kept away from the issue with the former suggesting that the media was out to create a controversy and 'we are not going to oblige'.
Advani, who came to the meeting with party chief Rajnath Singh, did not reply to any questions.
Vajpayee is not attending this meeting due to health reasons. The meeting is being held amid the talks of mid-term polls in the wake of Left upping the ante on the Indo-US nuclear deal against the UPA government.
The three-day meeting of the executive is expected to help the saffron party put its house in order as its leaders hope to make the most of the Ram Setu controversy and the crisis facing the government on the Indo-US nuclear deal.
The national executive is meeting in the Madhya Pradesh capital after a gap of 11 years. Elections in the state due next year are also expected to be come up for discussion.
The political situation in Gujarat, which is slated to go to polls later this year, will engage the attention of the party's top brass especially in the backdrop of Chief Minister Narendra Modi facing dissident activities.
The meeting will also adopt a political resolution, which a party spokesmen said, would expose the government's 'failure' in all fronts.
The meet would also adopt two separate resolutions on 'agrarian crisis' and the 'internal security issue'.
The National Executive, which is meeting for the second time in the last four months, is slated to discuss the Venkaiah Naidu committee report on grass-root level preparations for booth management.
The second day of the meet will be marked by a public rally to be addressed by all major leaders.
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