Seeking to put an end to the debate over the leadership issue in BJP, senior leader L K Advani expressed the confidence that Vajpayee would be back soon to lead the party.
BHOPAL: Seeking to put an end to the debate over the leadership issue in BJP, senior leader L K Advani on Sunday expressed the confidence that Atal Bihari Vajpayee would be back soon to lead the party.
Addressing the concluding session of BJP National Executive here, Advani said, "I felt gratified when Rajnathji (BJP chief Rajnath Singh) showed me Atalji's own message saying that before long he would be in our midst. Let us all pray that this happens very soon and he continues to lead and guide us as in the past".
Advani's remarks assume significance as they came after an ailing Vajpayee in his message to the Executive quoted his favourite poem talking about a "siege within" which was viewed by some as obstacles within BJP to his leadership as a section of the party sought to project Advani as the natural choice after the former Prime Minister.
Advani said this was perhaps the first National Executive meeting that Vajpayee had to miss because of his ill health. "All of us naturally feel distressed about this".
Party Chief Rajnath Singh echoed Advani saying "there was no doubt that Vajpayee is still our leader" but went on to add "there was no dearth of leaders in the party".
Asked what Vajpayee wanted to convey in his message to the National Executive by speaking about the "seize from within", the BJP chief sought to downplay it saying it was a poem the former Prime Minister wrote way back in 1980 when the party parted ways with the then undivided Janata Party.
Rajnath Singh also ruled himself out of the race by saying he was "not the bridegroom".
Facing a barrage of questions on the leadership issue at a press conference on the last day of the meet, he maintained there was "no confusion" on this and both Vajpayee and Advani are our top leaders.
"Why are you worried"? he snapped back when a reporter asked a pointed query why the party was hesitating to declare Vajpayee as its prime ministerial candidate.
On whether the party would declare its prime ministerial candidate before going to polls in case of a possible pre-term election, the BJP President said "you will not be kept in the dark".
The issue of leadership loomed large over the three-day meet and Rajnath Singh's press conference was no exception. He was asked a variety of questions on the same issue with one reporter seeking to know who is the `Indian Idol.. Atal, Advani or any one else".
Another reporter sought to embarrass Singh reminding him that BJP, which had made an issue in the 2004 polls that Congress was not declaring its prime ministerial candidate, was now keeping its cards close to the chest.
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